Robin Rising
by EchidnaPower
Summary: Life is good for Dick Grayson, he's the leader of a team of superheroes he's blessed enough to call his family, and he's about to turn 18 which he figures will open up a whole new world of possibilities for him. But when his old mentor and "father" calls in, showing that he captured a criminal that had eluded the Titans forever, things get flipped upside-down. Part of my DCEAU.
1. Chapter 1

**Merry Christmas everyone. First of all, I would like to apologize for my lack of updates on my stories in the past several months. I'm reaching the tail end of my college years and soon I'll be graduating, and I am SO ready to take the next step in my life. That said, with all the work I've been doing, the motivation to write has been sporadic at best, but this story here...well, I'll say more about it after. Yes, it's Teen Titans, but prepare for plenty of references to Batman: The Animated Series. Let's get started. I own nothing except the story.  
** _

Gotham City, a bustling place near the Jersey Shore where superfreaks seemed as common as the "normal" folks trying to live a regular, everyday life. With its retro architecture and abandoned buildings at every turn, those who didn't know where to look would easily assume that Gotham was trapped in the late 80s; heck, some of the gang members even still used old-fashioned Tommy Guns instead of more reliable 9MM handguns or much newer (and more powerful) automatic rifles. The only ones who seemed willing to get with the times were the aforementioned superfreaks, such as the Joker, who seemed determined to turn the city into his own personal - and bloody - comedy show, with Batman as the ultimate straight man.

Batman, the icon for which Gotham was known worldwide. He was certainly a formidable opponent for anyone who had delusions of grandeur in the world. He was the ultimate detective, a master martial artist, and he could make a common crook pee his pants just by glaring at him with that patented bat-shaped cowl of his on his head.

Of course, the young man leaping over the rooftops was anything but common, and he was certainly proud of his skills.

He'd never truly been caught, not by anyone; he'd had some close calls, sure...but nothing that ever really took him off the streets. He was a lone wolf, looking out for number one and he was content with that. He didn't need to be a hero, and he didn't particularly care to be considered a villain, he was just _him._ And that's exactly what he was counting on.

With the crime in Gotham spiking lately, the thief fully expected his night to be strictly bat-free. He'd heard that Poison Ivy was making trouble again in a local greenhouse, something about saving a rare orchid and turning everyone who had ever hurt it into plant zombies? Or was it poisoning them with a mutagenic serum that would cause human beings to be dependent on pollination from an endangered butterfly that only ever fed on nectar from that orchid? Nah that couldn't be right, most orchids didn't even have nectar. Honestly it didn't matter, as long as Batman was there to stop her, and he wasn't planning on running into them anyway.

As he perched on top of a gargoyle on the top of a tall building (seriously, what was with this city and gargoyles?), the thief surveyed the area to get an idea of where he would strike for the night. His old hunting grounds had gotten a little too crowded with heroes for his tastes, so he decided to try out Gotham since it was one of the only places that didn't seem to be covered by that all-too-large superhero team.

Bunch of do-gooders.

Finally his eyes caught a car that was parked in an alley, and the thief raised an eyebrow at the...less than conventional parking job. He always figured parallel parking was tough, but that seemed to be a bit of an extreme alternative. Still, it would probably make for easy pickings. He leaped from his perch and silently landed in the alley, his target now coming into better view as he got closer to it.

Then his eyes widened as soon as his mind made the mental connection and realized exactly what car he was looking at.

The Batmobile.

Of course, it had to be the freaking Batmobile, _Batman's_ car. So much for a bat-free night. The thief was about to leap back up onto the rooftops...then he stopped. The amount of money he'd get on the black market for something that came from the Batmobile...well, he'd be set for months! He'd need proof though, something distinctly marked like a bat so he would be able to prove that he'd actually swiped them from Batman's car rather than just grabbed a random object and slapped a Batman symbol on it. The thief snapped his fingers as soon as he decided what he'd do, and got to work on removing the car's tires and hubcaps.

This would be the steal of the century, no doubt.

Part of him felt bad to be honest, he'd met Batman before when he was really young, and he even saved him and a large group of other orphaned children from a crazed lunatic in the sewers who called himself their teacher. Of course, even then, all the thief had done was try to steal from Batman before he took down his kidnapper once and for all. Once a thief, always a thief, he figured. He really had tried to be good, he'd been taken in by an older lady who tried to take care of him...but the thrill of the chase, he just couldn't get it out of his system, he craved the adrenaline rush, the thought of being caught at any moment was enough to get his blood pumping, and if he ever got spotted, well then the real fun began.

In hindsight, the lady who took him in probably didn't lose much sleep over his disappearance, it just meant that she wouldn't have to deal with his rebellious nature anymore, and he never heard anything about an alert being sent out, so he was used to looking out for number one, seeking his thrill and making a living for himself as best as he could.

And boy was he getting a thrill right now.

As he removed the last of the Batmobile's wheels, the thief looked around warily when he heard the sound of a garbage can lid being knocked over, and he spotted a rat staring at him with its beady red eyes. Exhaling a breath he hadn't even realized he'd been holding, he pulled the last wheel off the car and rolled it to the side so he could start preparing his getaway.

Then he fell on his butt as he bumped into something solid, and looked up to see the figure of Batman looming over him.

So much for a bat-free night indeed.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Life was good.

Dick Grayson, soon to officially outgrow his title of the "Boy Wonder" as his 18th birthday was fast approaching, had pretty much everything a guy could ask for. He had a state of the art roof over his head, courtesy of his teammate Cyborg, he had a never-ending supply of jokes and fun, courtesy of his teammate Beast Boy, he had arguably the best doctor in the world to keep him healthy, courtesy of his teammate Raven, and of course, he had all the care in the world thanks to his teammate Starfire.

Victor Stone.

Garfield Logan.

Raven Roth.

Koriand'r.

His friends...his family.

It hadn't been an easy road by any means, Robin had to deal with growing up in the shadow of none other than Gotham's Dark Knight, Batman, before he made the move to Jump City to try and become a hero on his own merits. The argument - and subsequent grudge - he had with Bruce still hadn't been resolved, but even with them not on speaking terms, Robin knew that Batman still cared about him, in his own way.

After all, maintaining the tower wasn't exactly cheap, especially with the regular repairs needed whenever Beast Boy or Raven broke something accidentally, or with the massive amounts of food they bought on a weekly basis just to keep five growing teenagers satiated...okay so four teenagers, Cyborg didn't technically count anymore, but he was still a Teen Titan as far as anyone else was concerned. Point was, Bruce still watched out for him, making sure that they always had enough to sustain themselves thanks to the allowance given to Robin.

But he tended not to think on that too much, he still wasn't happy with his so-called mentor, always so willing to break his own rules if it meant solving the case. He never killed, that much was a line he knew Bruce would never cross...but interrogating suspects in front of their wives and children? Traumatizing those poor kids, even if he didn't mean to...and of course the secrets...no, Robin would never forget why he left in the first place. To do things his own way.

And that's what he did. He made a name for himself, Tokyo praised his name and the names of his teammates, Jump City knew that the Teen Titans would always have its back, and he was proud of that. On top of all that, Robin's Titans Network was still stretching across the globe, making sure there were at least a few Titans available and on call no matter where trouble reared its ugly head. The newest team was just now coming together in London, England near the English Channel as the Titans Europe, with Argent, Hotspot, Jericho, Kid Flash, and Jinx - oddly enough - rounding things out.

Sometimes having a grey area was a good thing, Robin figured, if it meant that someone like Jinx could turn her life around and become a Titan - a _leader_ no less.

Pantha, Red Star, Bushido, and Wildebeest were being assigned near Mexico, while a dedicated "Titans North" team - consisting of Herald, Thunder, Lightning, Kole and Gnarrk already had their tower built and operational. They were even willing to take on Melvin, Timmy and Teether, eliminating the issue of who would take care of "Raven's kids" so they wouldn't be forced to land in a foster home.

Raven nearly blew up their tower at the very thought of those three ending up in one of those.

As Robin entered the Ops Center to look for a snack for himself, he spotted Starfire in the kitchen, gathering the ingredients for what he could only assume was another one of her Tamaranean concoctions, cheerfully humming tunelessly...and apparently unaware he'd entered the room. Sometimes it paid to have stealth training from the best of the best. Grinning impishly, Robin waited until her back was turned so he could dive underneath the counter, wrapping himself in his cape so that he blended in with the shadows as much as possible. Then once she turned around again, he made his move.

And he was rewarded with a delightfully surprised squeal from his tall Tamaranean girlfriend that made his heart beat faster as he wrapped his arms around her waist. "Robin, you startled me!"

"No, I _surprised_ you," He chuckled huskily as he rested his chin on her shoulder. "There's a very distinct difference."

"Oh?" Starfire giggled and turned around to wrap her own arms around him, and Robin couldn't keep the wide grin off his face as her bright green eyes twinkled merrily at him. "Then perhaps you will have to explain it to me."

"Well, startling you would mean that I didn't _mean_ to do it..." He smirked as he leaned up to her. "As for surprising you...well, I think _this_ qualifies." He swiftly captured her lips with his own, holding back a chuckle when she squeaked in shock before returning his affection with vigor. It wasn't often that he initiated such an intimate moment in public, given that he was such a private person, despite having shared his identity with his team the day that they retrieved his stolen briefcase from Ding Dong Daddy just a few months earlier. But if no one else was around, he felt...bolder, more willing to show her just how much he cared about her with actions, rather than words, which was how she preferred it anyway. Plus, ever since their kiss in Tokyo, Starfire had come to thoroughly enjoy kissing, something he honestly didn't expect since he'd learned that it was mainly used for exchanging languages on her planet.

Of course, that just meant that every kiss he gave her, she got just a little bit smarter, and even something as small as that was a turn-on for him...not that everything else she did on a daily basis didn't already do that. God, she was just so beautiful, inside and out.

As their lips parted with a light smack, she relinquished a coy smile with her eyes half-lidded, still shining with the love she felt so strongly for him. _"Je t'aime_ , Richard."

His eyes widened a bit as he smirked at her. "You picked up a little bit of French this time."

"So it would seem." She hummed out a giggle and nuzzled her cheek against his face. That was something else Robin had to get used to: Tamaraneans were descendants of felines, so he'd quickly come to realize that Starfire had a lot of...sweet spots that she shared with Earth cats, like this one just at the base of her ear...and just like that, she let out a soft coo that sent a rush of warmth into the pit of Robin's belly. Starfire had yet to admit whether she could get so relaxed and turned on that she would start to purr like a cat, but he was determined to find out one of these days. "Ohh, Richard...our friends..."

"Shh, don't worry about it. Cyborg's in Europe building the new Titans Tower, and Raven's visiting Titans North to see the kids."

"Mmm...and Beast Boy?"

"If Beast Boy walks in here, he's got three extra hours of combat practice waiting for 'im."

Starfire pulled back a bit, her eyes still smoky but aware enough to give the Boy Wonder a disapproving glance. "Robin, do not be mean to our friends."

He just pulled her back into him, giving her another lingering kiss that earned another moan from her, and he grinned against her lips as she wrapped one around his waist with the other curled around his back, reaching up to grip at his spiky hair. The next thing he knew, his feet had left the ground, and he gripped her tighter as they floated into the air. "Star..."

"Apologies," She said between kisses. "I cannot seem to ground myself."

"Too much joy, huh?"

"Mhmm."

"Well, Star...I have not even _begun_ to make you feel joyful yet."

Starfire responded by nuzzling against him, gripping him tighter against her while still trying to maintain enough awareness to not crush him with her strength, and Robin stroked her long, flowing mane of fiery red hair. She always apologized when she wound up levitating off the ground, but he loved every minute of it. The feeling of weightlessness each time he flew with her matching with the weightlessness in his soul whenever she showered him with the affection he'd craved for so long, there was nothing like it...and he wanted more.

Lowering a hand to the small of her back, Starfire responded with a squeak and pressed her ample chest against his, sending a rush of desire through him; if this kept up...who cares? Robin decided right then and there, maybe more with his hormones than his brain, to throw caution to the wind for once. He loved this amazing woman, and it was abundantly clear that she loved him. No holding back.

As their kissing became more passionate and frenzied, the two panting between breaks for air - more for Robin's sake than anything, Robin wrapped his legs around her waist, his hand wandering up to go underneath her purple top. Just a little more and he'd be able to feel the tender flesh hidden under-

"Oh, I did _not_ need to see that."

The couple screeched like banshees as Starfire's flight gave out and the two fell onto the kitchen floor rather harshly on their rear ends. "Ow..." Robin groaned as he rubbed his sore tailbone and slowly got to his feet, reaching a hand down to his flustered girlfriend, who was clearly more embarrassed than hurt. Darn alien resilience...not that he _wanted_ her to be hurting, but there were times where he envied his super-powered teammates, especially since he highly doubted Raven would be willing to heal his tailbone unless it was an extreme emergency. Blushing profusely and desperately trying to regain his composure, Robin glared up at the massive screen which had yet to show a face to reveal the culprit behind their interrupted moment of intimacy. "Alright, whoever it is, you better start explaining how you got through our secure channel!"

And then a face appeared on the screen, and Robin's face sunk before contorting into a grimace that would have scared even the hardiest of Jump City's villains. "Good to see you too, Robin," A much deeper voice than the one heard previously said. "Although next time, I'd prefer if you kept your...moments confined to someplace less in plain sight."

"Batman." Robin all but snarled the name, his surrogate father once again interfering with his life, and he'd seen him making out with Starfire! Now he no doubt was going to have to explain himself and hear the lecture about letting people get too close. It would be even worse when he eventually found out that his team knew who he really was under the mask. "To what do we owe this...pleasure?"

The Dark Knight's face remained as neutral as ever as he replied. "I think I found something you've been looking for."

"And what might that be?"

Batman stepped aside without a word, and both Robin and Starfire's eyes widened in shock at the person who was currently tied up from his hands to his feet with Batman's patented bolas. "Hey there cutie, long time no see...I gotta admit, as much as I'd prefer you doing that show with me, it was really hot to watch it as a spectator."

There, sitting in the Batcave, was none other than the one criminal that had managed to avoid the Titans almost as often as Slade himself. "Red X!"

Life, Robin immediately concluded, sucked.  
_

 **A/N: And so it begins...ladies and gentlemen, if you thought AAML: Diamond and Pearl was an ambitious project, then you haven't seen anything yet. I have been inspired by the likes of Kryalla Orchid and other such authors, and after watching several different shows and episodes...I decided, I wanted to do something that no one else has done, something so huge, that it will offer hours upon hours of entertainment for all who jump into it.**

 **May I present to you all, the first published story of what I'm calling...the DCEAU.**

 **What does that stand for? Quite simply, the DC Extended Animated Universe. I call it that because I'm taking the renowned DCAU we've all grown up with and are aware of, and integrating other shows that never truly connected but we all WISHED they did. This is the first step. Obviously, there will be certain alterations to established DCAU canon, since the Titans and the B:TAS worlds don't mix otherwise, but I believe that my version will be just as satisfying to all.**

 **Eventually as the universe grows, I will create a timeline that readers can come in and check on to see where each story falls, in case reading the stories in chronological order is something you all want to do. This story is the first I'm publishing, but it's not the first story in the established "universe" I'm making. For that, be prepared for a story based on Bruce Timm's Green Lantern: TAS that is also in development.**

 **Oh yeah, I'm going there too.**

 **Huge thanks to HollyLu, Lightdusk96, and of course none other than Kryalla Orchid herself for helping me with this massive project, offering input and helping me to improve it to create the best possible product. I do intend to update more consistently with this story, I already have the next four chapters ready and I'm currently working on the one after that, so there will be content to enjoy.**

 **I hope you'll enjoy going on this journey with me through my DCEAU, and please leave a review and tell me what you think of it starting out. Are you excited for what I have in store? I hope so...it's gonna be big. Merry Christmas everyone, enjoy your present!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Welcome to another chapter of this story! Like I said, I've had these waiting in the wings, but there were a few reasons I was holding off on updating, but I finally decided the wait wasn't worth keeping things under wraps anymore. Instead, I'll just give you what I have. It has nothing to do with the chapter itself, mind you, but it does have to do with some bonus material I had planned, courtesy of HollyLu. But, we'll get into that later. In the meantime, thank you all for the awesome reviews for the first chapter, I honestly wasn't expecting it to get so many!**

 **And as per the usual, there were some guest reviews thrown in there, so let's address them!**

 **vi: Yes he did, Batman always chooses the worst times to appear, doesn't he? For both criminals and riled up teenagers lol. Here's the update you wanted!**

 **Guest: Um, I assume this is comic canon information regarding Slade and his family? Thanks I guess, but I don't know what this has to do with the story so far lol. But either way, glad you're enjoying the story so far.**

 **Miss geek: It's nice to know some of my AAML: D &P fans have followed me over here. I promise I WILL get back to that story soon, but I've just been so inspired by the Titans. I hope you continue to enjoy this in the meantime!**

 **And that's it! Nothing left to say for now, except when you get to the bottom, keep an eye out for something nice. ^^ I own nothing except the story.**

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"You sure you'll be able to keep things under control over here? I know we usually call Titans East to watch the tower when we gotta head out, but-"

"Yeah yeah, don't get your iron panties in a bunch, Stone. We got this covered."

Cyborg scrunched his face in annoyance at the pink-haired villainess gone good. When he got the call from Robin that Batman had captured Red X in Gotham, it came with a very loud and temper-fueled order for him to get in the T-Ship and bring the Titans Europe team with him so they could watch Titans Tower in their absence. While he didn't appreciate Robin screeching at him like a lunatic, he knew that whenever Batman was involved, Robin instantly became more ornery than ever, even with Starfire doing her best to soothe him. He could deal with it knowing why his leader was up in arms.

What he couldn't handle, however, was watching Kid Flash and Jinx get all hot and heavy in their compartment of the T-Ship since there wasn't enough space for one person each. "Y'all better not be thinkin' about doin' the nasty in my baby!"

Jinx took a break from kissing her speedy boyfriend and gave the metal man a sour expression, sticking her tongue out at him childishly and pulling down on her eyelid with her fingers. Then she pressed a button on the compartment's console, and all of a sudden it split off from the rest of the ship, much to the shock of everyone else, especially the ship's builder.

"Yo! Get back here!" He shouted into the radio. "How'd you even know how to separate?! _I_ didn't tell you how to do that!"

"I wasn't one of the top students at the Hive Academy for nothing!" Jinx replied with a victorious smirk. "When Brother Blood downloaded your blueprints, I took the opportunity to see how everything worked, including this ship. Clearly, they were accurate." Jinx then pressed another button on the console, and the ship switched to autopilot and zoomed ahead of the now incomplete T-Ship. "Seeya when you get there!"

"That compartment better be spotless when I see it! Ya hear me?! SPOTLESS!" Cyborg fumed as he watched the tail of his beloved T-Ship fly off into the distance, the rest of the Titans riding with him less angry but just as bewildered. "I may need to talk to Rob about choosing Jinx to lead y'all," Cyborg said wearily as he flipped some switches above him. "Compensating for the separation, it'll take us just a few extra minutes to get there now."

"Well, so much for our fearless leader." Hotspot scoffed as he crossed his arms and legs and leaned back in his seat.

"You're just jealous that Robin chose _Jinx_ to lead the team and not _you,"_ Argent snarked at the fiery teenager. "I for one am just fine with her being a bit cheeky and getting some time with her sweetheart, I could tell she's been gagging for some lovin' since Robin put that responsibility on 'er."

"She what now?"

"Never mind, Hotspot." Cyborg sighed and placed the human side of his face in his palm before focusing back on the sky in front of him. "Look, I'm not _really_ questioning Jinx's ability to lead your team, she's got the experience as a leader with teammates that are a lot less competent than y'all, so it should be cake for her to take charge of a team that has people with actual brain cells on it. I'm just on edge because Robin's not gonna be happy when we get there, whether we came together or not."

"What's got 'im all aggro anyway?"

"Simple, he's got Batman on the brain." Cyborg looked over his shoulder to the British girl in the wing behind him. "If you thought Robin was obsessed when _Slade_ was around, you ain't seen nothin' yet. Whenever Batman comes up, he straight up loses it. Apparently they had this big fallin' out years ago and that's how he ended up in Jump City to begin with."

"I've heard stories of Batman." Hotspot spoke up. "He's someone who always seems to find a way out of any mess he gets himself into, and he's saved the whole world more times than he gets credit for. I don't see why Robin would wanna give up learning from someone like him, and that's coming from someone who actually _prefers_ to work alone. He's gotta be the greatest crime-fighter ever."

"Maybe he is..." Cyborg acquiesced. "But from some of the stories _Robin's_ told us, Batman's definitely got his weak points."

"Such as?"

Cyborg shook his head. "Not my place to say." He turned around to glare at the Moroccan hero. "And if you're smart, you won't ask Robin about it when we get there. All I'm gonna say is that there's a distinct difference in how Batman does things, and how _we_ do things."

"Wait...you don't mean he-"

"No," Cyborg sighed as he cut off Argent's inquiry. "Batman doesn't kill, that's something we actually have in common with him. Look, can we just drop it for now? I'm gonna have to deal with this whole thing on the way to Gotham anyway, I'd like to be able to keep my mind off of it for as long as I can."

The topic was dropped, and the rest of the ride to the tower was fairly quiet. But the damage had already been done, Cyborg's imagination was running wild with the possibility of meeting Batman for the first time. He'd never tell Robin, but Cyborg had a strong admiration for the Dark Knight's feats of heroism. With nothing but his wits, body and will, he took down some of the most clever and psychotic villains on Earth, not to mention cracking down on the gang wars all over Gotham...that in particular resonated with Cyborg, what with his urban heritage.

How could a man who did so much good be so awful? Surely there was more to the story than meets the eye. After all, Robin was notorious for having an ego; he didn't appreciate being shown up, being outsmarted or being beaten, and all the stories of Batman's supposed faults came directly from Robin, who had admitted on more than one occasion that besides their falling out, he wanted to become a hero on his own merits, something that didn't seem likely to happen as long as he was just the younger member of the "dynamic duo."

Cyborg wanted to see the Batcave, Batman's computer system had to be state of the art; he wanted to examine the Batmobile, see what made it tick and see if there was anything he could reverse engineer into the T-Car, the possibilities were endless! The young man could only hope that he'd get an opportunity, hope that Robin would see it fit to introduce him and the others to Batman...I mean hey, what could be more impressive to a crime-fighting vigilante than a team of heroes who literally saved the whole dang universe? Maybe that would impress even Batman, and give Robin an opportunity to brag a little, he'd love that.

Cyborg was pulled out of his musings when a beeping noise filled his cockpit, and he regained his focus to see what it was about. "Oh, looks like we're here. By now Rob's probably read Jinx and K.F. the riot act for takin' off on their own." But when he looked down, he just saw Robin glaring up at them, almost blankly, not even moving. Terrific, he was pissed. Sighing internally, Cyborg landed the T-Ship and the rest of the Titans Europe hopped out in kind, exchanging greetings with the other Titans...except for Robin. "Geez, Rob, you could at least say 'hi' to these guys, they didn't do anything to you."

"I'll apologize later," The masked man grounded out as he brushed past his teammate and took his place in the cockpit, ignoring Cyborg's judging gaze following him. "Let's just hurry up and get this over with. The sooner we get to Gotham, the sooner we can leave."

Cyborg opened his mouth to speak up, but then decided against it and instead walked over to the rest of the Titans. As his eyes scanned the Titans Europe, they looked a bit uncomfortable after Robin's heated (and frankly, rude) exchange. It was looking at his regular teammates that got his circuits overheating. Raven had her hood up and was staring at the ground silently, Beast Boy looked like he'd just watched someone kick a puppy for six hours straight...and Starfire...the big brother in Cyborg roared to life seeing his alien teammate and friend so sad, and yet the concern and love for Robin she felt still found a way to shine through her luminous green eyes. Cyborg glared over his shoulder at Robin once again, who had his feet kicked up and was rocking back and forth impatiently in his seat, then he walked over and placed a hand on the Tamaranean's shoulder. "Don't worry, Star, this will all be over soon." He whispered comfortingly as he leaned in towards her ear. "Dick's just being...well, let's just say he's living up to his name."

Starfire scrunched her nose in distaste. "I do not begrudge Robin for his feelings, and although he has not been very open since speaking with the Batman, he has been...doing his best to try and not take it out on me or any of our friends, and for that I am grateful." She sighed. "I do wish that things could be different, and I _am_ saddened that Robin will not allow me into his heart during his time of need...but, I know that it could be much worse; Robin is much angrier about going to visit the Batman than he ever was about Slade, I fear his pride has been injured."

Cyborg's expression softened a bit. At least Robin wasn't going over the top with them like before when he'd been under the influence of Slade's hallucinogen, and judging from Starfire's words, he hadn't laid a hand on her or anyone else and she really was just very concerned and worried for him, not hurt by something he'd done or said. "Bruised egos are hard to recover from, just don't let him use that as an excuse if he starts walkin' all over you...that means-"

"I am aware of what you mean with your Earth slang, friend Cyborg." Starfire gave a small smile at Cyborg's surprised expression. "I have learned much more about the rules of your language thanks to the extended lip contact Robin and I have shared..." Her expression hardened. "I intend to stay as supportive as Robin will allow me to be, but I promise, I will not allow him to abuse me should he begin to lose control."

"That's all I needed to hear." Cyborg smiled and quickly embraced the Tamaranean before flicking his thumb in the direction of the ship. "Go ahead and get ready for takeoff, I'll brief Titans Europe on how to work things here."

Starfire nodded and lifted off the ground to land in her compartment on the T-Ship, but then she looked at her brooding boyfriend and bit her bottom lip as she pondered if she should chance going to him. Finally, she slowly lowered herself to him, angling her body so that she could be close to him. "Robin-"

"Star, please...I just want to be alone for a bit."

Starfire closed her eyes sadly for a moment, only opening them to gently grasp his hand with hers. "Richard," She said softly before he could object, and she saw his eyes soften a bit at her usage of his real name. "I will honor your wishes at this time, but please remember that you are _not_ alone. Your friends are here for you... _I_ am here for you, so please do not shut me out."

"Star-"

She cut him off by raising his hand to her lips, kissing it despite the rubbery taste of his gloves. Then she leaned in close and whispered in his ear. _"K'lu malth'era,_ Richard."

Robin's eyes widened, the Boy Wonder losing his angry disposition for the first time since hanging up with Batman. All he could do was gape in awe at the smiling Tamaranean who was floating away from him to get into her own seat, and wonder what it was she'd just told him. "Wait, what does that mean?" All he got out of her was a cute giggle as she closed her hatch, and he quickly pressed the button to activate the intercom. "Starfire! You can't just leave me hanging like that!"

"I will be most willing to tell you the exact translation later, _d'anthe l'ani,"_ She said with a soft and sultry smile as she pressed a few buttons of her own. _"_ Just as soon as we finish our mission...that is...if you can wait that long."

"D-wha? And what does _that_ mean?!" Robin just gaped dumbly at her, his frazzled mind desperately trying to reboot after the speech his girlfriend gave. God, the tenderness, the soothing tone of her voice, his stomach was doing flips underneath his skin which was now covered in goosebumps. "You're...really not gonna tell me?"

"I did not say I would not tell you, just that you must be patient."

"But-" Then the Boy Wonder was thrown back in his seat as the T-Ship suddenly lurched, and he instinctively fastened his seatbelt as the ship took off over the horizon. He'd been so preoccupied with Starfire that he hadn't even noticed the rest of the Titans had already gotten in and Cyborg had even done his pre-flight check while he conversed with her...which meant that the rest of his team probably heard their entire exchange, and his cheeks began to burn in embarrassment at the thought.

"Do not worry, Richard." Starfire's voice echoed in his earpiece. "I ensured that our discussion was private, our friends did not hear what we have just shared."

And just like that his eyes widened again, and he looked over to Starfire's compartment to see her smiling demurely at him, giving him a small wave before settling into her seat. His ears felt hotter than ever, but for a completely different reason than moments ago. He'd underestimated her again, somehow she just _knew_ what it was that he would be concerned about and she reassured him in such a disarming way that it left him speechless. Finally he regained his senses and smiled back at her. "Star, you're the best."

* * *

Robin's good mood didn't last. As soon as they were within minutes of Gotham City, his scowl returned in full force, though he now had a better handle on his anger and was able to keep from blowing up on his teammates. "Raven, do your thing." He said evenly.

Raven nodded and closed her eyes, summoning her power as her hands were enveloped with her black energy. "Caveatis...Porcina...Azarath...Metrion...Zinthos!" The energy enveloped the ship, and though the interior didn't change in their eyes, the outside of the ship seemed to shift until it was drastically different. "Nice to know that not _all_ the spells Malchior taught me were sinister, this should make the T-Ship look like your average luxury aircraft, though I don't know how long the illusion will last, a few days at the very most."

"That's alright, Rae." Cyborg responded. "I'm still workin' on the holographic generator for the T-Ship, with any luck it'll be done within the next week, I was havin' a little trouble replicating the effects of my holo-rings on such a large scale, but I've got most of the bugs worked out."

"It won't matter anyway," Robin said neutrally. "With any luck, we'll be leaving within a day. Two if absolutely necessary." He sighed, dreading the conversation that he'd been putting off until now. "Listen guys, as far as Batman knows, you guys still don't know my secret identity; when he _does_ find out, it's not gonna be pretty, because then he'll assume you know _his_ too...I'll probably have to run interference for you guys."

"I don't get it, what's the big deal anyway?" Beast Boy scoffed as he bounced his foot on his opposite knee with his hands behind his head. "We're all in the hero biz, we've got each other's backs, why does Batman care if we know who you really are?"

"Because Batman doesn't trust anyone outside his personal circle." His eyes narrowed. "Sometimes he doesn't even trust people _inside_ his personal circle." He shook his head and fought down the wave of frustration that threatened to overtake him again. "Land the ship at the Gotham airport, Batman made sure that we can use Bruce Wayne's personal airstrip as long as we're here, so we won't be bothered."

"Bruce Wayne, he is your _k'norfka,_ yes?"

Robin glanced over at Starfire and slouched his shoulders. "Yeah, I suppose he is," He mumbled. "For better or worse."

"Aww come on, Rob, the way you're talkin' about him, it sounds like you're just as upset with _him_ as you are with _Batman."_

"It's not that simple, nothing ever is." He sighed again and took off his mask, revealing his bright blue eyes, then he grabbed a comb from his utility belt and began brushing down his spiky hair. "Here's the cover story guys, and listen carefully, because I'm sure by now the media has caught wind that Dick Grayson is returning to Gotham." He scoffed as he put his comb back, his hair now neatly arranged. "The surrogate son of a billionaire playboy is _apparently_ a story worth covering. You've got holo-rings for everyone, Cyborg?"

Cyborg held up the rings in his massive hand in response. "One for each of you, even you, Rob. Just let me know if you'd like to adjust the way you guys look and it'll just take me a couple of minutes to modify the programming."

"Good. Now, here's what's gonna happen. As far as the media is concerned, Dick Grayson is returning to visit Bruce Wayne after spending the last couple years at a boarding school in a foreign country. If anyone asks where, play dumb. The idea is that no one knows where Dick Grayson actually is, in order to ensure his privacy so he can focus on his studies. You guys are my friends who came along for the ride, basically as tourists to see the sights. Each of you will be using your own secret identities, and you'll have to remember to act as normal as possible; no flight, no super strength, no morphing, nothing. If something comes up where you _have_ to use your powers, either do it inconspicuously, or find an alley somewhere where you can take off your rings."

"We're not comin' with you?"

Robin flinched at the changeling's whined question. "I...guess it wouldn't hurt if you came to Wayne Manor with me. I'll have to actually visit with Bruce in order to keep up appearances, but you won't be able to do much there."

"Dude, Wayne Manor is like twice the size of Dayton Manor, and _that_ place had an Olympic-sized swimming pool! You gonna tell me that Bruce Wayne has nothing to do there, especially since he had a certain Boy Wonder growing up there with him?"

"Am I the only one feeling jealous that I didn't grow up in the lap of luxury?" Cyborg snarked.

"Trust me, Cyborg, it's not all it's cracked up to be." Robin grumbled and got back to the task at hand. "Fine, you can come. I'll have Alfred, our...Bruce's butler, take care of you guys, I'll call ahead. Star, Raven, you're the only ones who don't have an Earth identity, you remember the background info for your alter egos?" He received curt nods from both the girls. "Good...Cyborg, signal that we're ready to land, bring us down, and make it look like we're a normal plane...and darken my compartment for a minute...I've gotta get into my disguise."

Several minutes later, the disguised T-Ship taxied into Bruce Wayne's private hangar, and with a little more magic from Raven, the illusion was maintained as one by one, the young heroes stepped out of a conveniently door-shaped portal, decked out in their chosen civilian outfits.

First came Cyborg, dressed in what appeared to be a blue football jersey and a black and gold letterman jacket and blue jeans. The holo-ring gave him back the appearance of real flesh and bone, but he had to be careful not to shake hands with anyone, lest they find out that his large hands were actually made of metal. Cyborg looked around as the workers didn't even bother to give him a second glance...it was so surreal, being looked at as a normal human again...a six foot six hulking brute of a human, but a normal human nonetheless. He wasn't Cyborg, he wasn't Stone, he was just Victor...it had been a long time since he'd just been Victor.

Starfire emerged next; the Tamaranean princess had altered her skin tone so she appeared much more fair, rather than her natural golden hue, and her face was highlighted by a small patch of freckles smattered across both her cheeks. Her fiery red hair had kept its length but shifted to a more Earth-friendly shade, more orange than actual red, and her eyebrows were now shaped like a human's as well. The biggest change, however, came from her eyes. No longer did they glow with the power contained inside her, instead her sclera had shifted to white instead of its usual green, and her irises were a more hazel shade.

Dressed in a green sweater that bore her midriff and showed off her curvaceous form, along with some fern-green and denim-blue plaid pants that hugged her bottom to go with her black suede winter boots and a necklace with a small, round amethyst pendant, the six foot tall Tamaranean princess - now disguised as her new alter-ego Kory Anders, which Robin helped her choose to honor her heritage - drew attention like a model, leaving her somewhat confused as to how to react when she heard a cat-call from one of the airport workers nearby. She glanced at Cyborg who had already walked down the steps and she saw him glaring at the man who had just whistled at her. She surmised that what had happened probably wasn't a good thing. "Victor?"

"Later, Kory," He whispered once she reached the bottom. "Just smile and wait for the others, and whatever you do, _don't_ look at that guy again."

She nodded and turned to stand next to her taller companion.

Next came Raven, who had opted to be a bit more low-key with her choice of outfit. She wore an asymmetrical wine-red hoodie jacket (which she currently had flipped over her head) with pockets for her hands, faded grey skinny jeans and black high-top sneakers with red laces; she wasn't as glamorous as Kory, as she didn't want to garner any attention. Of course, with all eyes still on Kory, she didn't have to try that hard.

Not only was she much shorter than her friend, only at about five foot six, her curves were safely hidden under her clothing, the length of her jacket hiding her shapely rear and the majority of her legs, and her normally grey skin tone was shifted to a simple, less pale complexion, with her hair now a pale black rather than its usual purple. The only thing she had allowed herself to indulge in was her eye color; blue was still her favorite color, even if she had to let her eyes be a brighter shade of blue than she'd prefer; but it would suffice for Rachel Roth.

Then Beast Boy came out, and the others waiting at the bottom - Rachel included - had to stop themselves from gaping in shock at the figure in front of them. Gone was the green skin, hair, and eyes and the jutting fang, and in its place was an...undeniably handsome blond, wavy-haired, blue-eyed young man with only slightly pointy ears and a perfect smile, standing in at about Rachel's height of five foot six, maybe a few centimeters more; his lean build added to his appeal.

Being decked out in a simple sage-green t-shirt with a long darker grey coat with a tall collar, blue jeans and brown shoes, with a pair of headphones around his neck to complete the ensemble, Beast Boy could tell from the moment that he stepped into view that Garfield Logan would have some questions to answer.

"Wow, man...you sure clean up good!" Victor said with an approving thumbs-up.

"Yeah...overcompensating much?"

Garfield gave Rachel a halfhearted glare before releasing a melancholy sigh from his throat. "This is probably what I would have looked like if...I hadn't turned green. Just...tryin' to play the part, y'know?"

Kory frowned and placed a hand on Garfield's shoulder. "You are most handsome, both now _and_ as yourself, do not ever allow yourself to think any differently."

"Kory's right," Rachel said quietly, which again got Garfield's attention. "I'm sorry for what I said, it was out of line...you really _do_ look good, Gar, whether your hair is blond or green." Even Rachel was somewhat surprised by the amount of sincerity in her voice, but it did the job as she immediately felt an uplift in her friend's emotions, and the beaming smile he gave her actually got her heart racing a bit faster and she gave a small smile back...but it quickly disappeared when she realized what she was thinking, and she blushed under her hood. "Just don't get a big head about it, you're still not funny."

"Uh uh, you don't get to back out of it now, _Rach."_ He leaned in and grinned at her, and she leaned away with an annoyed sneer. "You think I'm hot, don'tcha? It's okay to admit it, I won't tease you or anything."

"I'm pretty sure this qualifies as teasing."

The boy stopped for a moment and his expression softened. "Touché, you win this round." He shrugged and stepped over to stand next to her, but then he leaned in to whisper to her. "For the record, Rae...I think you look a lot prettier _without_ the holo-ring."

It took everything in Raven's power not to let something explode from the jump her heart made from that. _"I must be losing my mind, seeing him like this must have lowered my barriers, that's it. Azarath...Metrion...Zinthos..."_ It never even occurred to her that she hadn't actually denied Beast Boy's accusation.

Finally, the man of the hour, Dick Grayson appeared and started walking down the steps just before Rachel stuck her hands in her hoodie's pockets and discretely closed the "door" of the "plane." Gone was his signature Robin uniform and instead in its place was a dark denim shirt with its sleeves rolled up to his the end of his forearms, with shiny and smooth black trousers, showing off that he had a lean, muscular frame as he stood in at five foot nine.

His hair had been smoothed down and styled neatly while still maintaining some of his signature spiky style...and of course, his bright blue eyes were on display for all to see, and as he reached the bottom of the stairs, he took a moment to examine his teammates...his eyes lingering slightly longer on his girlfriend. "Lookin' good guys...now for the hard part." As they walked through the airport, Dick explained to his friends that there would be a limo waiting to pick them up, but in order to do so, they'd have to get through the security checkpoint, and it was quite possible that they'd run into some media members who would no doubt be itching for an interview. "It shouldn't be much farther."

"Dick Grayson!"

"Dick, yoo-hoo!"

Dick froze and fought not to slap his palm against his face. "Oh great..." Two of the most persistent members of Gotham's media - along with several other no-namers - were now running up to them, with cameras and microphones armed and at the ready. He briefly considered taking off running, but if the first picture the media got of Dick Grayson's return to Gotham City was running away with a bunch of strangers he'd never been associated with before, it would get back to Bruce, and neither of them needed to deal with the inevitable aftermath of that.

"Richard, who are those people?"

"That's the paparazzi I warned you about," Dick grumbled lowly. "Most of them won't be too much trouble, but watch out for-" He cut himself off and pasted on a large smile as cameras started flashing. "Vicki Vale and Summer Gleeson, my two favorite Gotham Insiders," He exclaimed in a peppy voice that left his friends stunned as he addressed the two redheaded reporters. "It's been a long time!"

 _"Too_ long I'd say!" Vicki grinned and put a small voice recorder in front of the young man's mouth. "So where have you been all this time?"

"Same place I've been for the past couple years, Vicki, away at boarding school and getting a taste of what life is like outside of Gotham. It's been quite an experience to say the least and I've met plenty of new friends that I never would've gotten to know had I stayed home."

"That's what I was actually about to ask you about," Summer spoke up as she shoved her microphone a bit closer to his face. "You've got yourself quite a colorful posse here, mind introducing us?"

"Not at all!" He turned slightly to the side to gesture to everyone in sequence. "These are some of my friends from school, Victor, Gar, Rachel, and Kory. They came with me to tour Gotham while I'm here meeting up with Bruce for a couple of days, and when you've got friends as good as these guys-" He grinned and wrapped his arms around the shoulders of Victor and Kory, resulting in a sudden flurry of camera flashes. "How could I say no to having the company?"

The next several questions that came, Dick continued to take and handle in stride. How long was he going to be in Gotham? What was he majoring in at school? What did he miss the most about Gotham? Was there any truth that he and Bruce had a falling out and that was the reason he left in the first place? All were answered with the dignity and vagueness of a professional interviewee, giving enough of an answer that it wouldn't seem like he was dodging a question, while still keeping from giving anything away that would lead him into a trap he couldn't escape from.

Then Vicki nailed him with a hardball. "So, Dick, have you got yourself a girlfriend yet? With a billionaire playboy for a guardian, you must have had _some_ success with the opposite sex while you've been away."

Dick's heart raced in his chest as the image of Starfire appeared in his mind. If he said yes, Vicki would grab onto that and have him by the jugular, if he said no...he mentally scolded himself for not preparing Starfire for this level of questioning, he'd addressed just about everything regarding what they would need to be ready for their Gotham visit...except for the fact that their relationship would have to be kept a secret, not just their identities. The last thing he wanted was to hurt her feelings; she'd understand after he explained it to her later, he knew, but nothing pained him more than seeing that radiant smile of hers disappear from her face, especially when he was the reason. Finally he gathered his courage and opened his mouth to answer. If the choice was between Starfire's feelings or Bruce's public relations...well then there was no choice at all.

"As a matter of fact, I do!" His answer stunned his whole team again, especially Kory who looked positively bewildered as he moved to stand right next to her, their height difference now on full display as he grabbed her hand and laced his fingers with hers. "I've already introduced you to Kory as my friend, now meet her as my girlfriend." He punctuated his remark by leaning up to kiss her cheek, and the flustered girl immediately blushed red and giggled as she turned her face away and placed it in her palm. "Isn't she adorable?"

"She most certainly is!" Vicki's grin turned almost predatory as she zipped around to stick her recorder in front of Kory, and the girl's smile vanished instantly as all the attention was suddenly on her. "So when did this little love connection get started?"

"I-"

"You two are wearing rings! Are you actually engaged to be married?!"

"We-"

"Kory, tell us how you and Dick met!"

"I-I would rather-"

"Does Dick's relation to Bruce Wayne, a known playboy, make you concerned about Dick's level of commitment?!"

"Hey! That's out of line!" Dick shouted and suddenly the attention was back on him even as the cameras continued to roll. Now part of him regretted trying to spare Starfire's feelings, he'd opened a can of worms that he _knew_ he wouldn't be able to close again and now she was taking the brunt of the assault. He had to stop this, now.

"Dudes, relax!" Garfield suddenly speaking up cut off Dick's next outburst. "There's nothin' weird goin' on here, we all met in class and we just hit it off!" He leaned in towards the media members and wiggled his eyebrows conspiratorially. "Some of us more than others, if ya get my drift." The media laughed at that, and Garfield took that as a prompt to continue. "If you're askin' about the rings, well we've _all_ got 'em!" He held his ring up for everyone to see, and the cameras flashed faster once again. "Honestly they were _my_ idea, I figured that since we were gonna be hangin' out, we should have like our own personal thing, they're like friendship bracelets only _way_ cooler and _way_ less kiddy, although it took some convincing to get Dick to go along with it, the party pooper."

"Does he do that a lot over there?"

Garfield gave an exaggerated dismissive wave at the man's question. "Pfft, nah. _Most_ of the time he's pretty cool, it's only when it's time to get assignments done that he starts getting all serious on us. Guess I probably should've waited until _after_ midterms to bring up the idea, but you know what they say about hindsight."

Dick had to fight back a grin as Garfield kept the media's attention on him rather than Kory, who was only just starting to relax after being bombarded by questions. But as quick on his feet as Garfield had been, he knew that he wouldn't be able to keep Vicki and Summer away from him and Kory for long, so he had to come up with a way to get out of this mess before it was too late. To do that, he was going to need help. _"Raven..."_

The pale girl's eyes widened a bit at the sudden voice in her head; ever since she had entered Dick's mind during the scare with Slade's chemical reagent that made him see, hear and feel Slade whenever the lights were off, they'd had this lingering bond that allowed her to be much more in tune with his thoughts and feelings than the others. It may have been accidental, but it was something she cherished all the same, since she now had a relationship with the young man that made her feel like she had a true big brother, a familial tie that she never felt before. _"Robin, this is insane! Even the media in Jump City don't harangue us like this in our superhero personas!"_

 _"I warned you guys it would be crazy."_ He thought back, and he sent her a mental apologetic smile. _"Just be glad Beast Boy knows how to work the crowd."_

 _"You know that picture of you and Starfire is gonna be in the news as soon as this is over, right?"_

 _"Yeah, I know."_ He sighed and flexed his free hand a few times, the only nervous twitch that probably wouldn't be noticed at this point. _"I'll have to deal with the consequences afterwards, but there was no way I was going to risk hurting Starfire."_

Raven sent him a small, but approving mental smile. _"You're a good man, Robin. She may not look like it right now, but I can sense that she was deeply moved by what you just did. You've earned yourself a lot of brownie points...or whatever the Tamaranean equivalent may be."_

 _"Let's hope they'll be worth the hell I'll have to pay when Bruce gets his hands on me."_

 _"If Batman gives you a hard time, we'll have your back."_

Robin's eyes widened ever so slightly, and he had to stop himself from jerking his head in her direction. _"You know?!"_

 _"Robin, I've known ever since our bond was formed. I saw everything, even beyond what you showed us. Why do you think I told you that you didn't need to share what was in your briefcase? Some secrets really aren't meant to be shared, especially when it's not even your place to share it...believe me, no one knows more about keeping secrets than me."_

 _"I suppose not...we'll discuss this more later. Right now, we've got to figure out a way to break this up before Beast Boy runs out of gas."_

 _"Don't look now, Dick...but I think this situation is about to get better and worse at the same time."_

 _"Huh?"_

"Hey, what's all the commotion over here?"

Dick gulped and nearly broke out in a cold sweat at the suave and charming voice that immediately managed to silence the media mob.

There, standing tall in a smart business suit and tie and a disarming smile on his face, was none other than Bruce Wayne. "Welcome home, Dick, it's good to see you again."

* * *

 **A/N: And there you have it. Now then, as for that bonus material I mentioned...it hasn't actually been posted on Tumblr yet, but the amazing HollyLu drew up the civilian designs for both Raven and Starfire, with plans in the wings to draw up the boys as well. As soon as she posts them on Tumblr, I'll change the links to reflect that, but for now, here's something for you to check out. As usual, just copy and paste into the web browser and remove the spaces and line breaks. Only way to beat the fanfiction system.**

 **Here is the first link, which is Raven and Starfire:**

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 **And HERE is the one for Beast Boy.**

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 **Edited again to include the link for Dick Grayson.**

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 **Sad that I have to do it this way, but such is life. Maybe one day this place will take a lesson from Ao3, they actually let me put the images IN the story. But in any case, I also have to give a HUGE thank you to Kryalla Orchid for letting me borrow her Tamaranean term of endearment, _d'anthe l'ani._ It's been so ingrained into me that I have to constantly remind myself it's technically NOT canon...but it should be, and DC should give Kry royalties for it doggone it.**

 **So, hope you all enjoyed this next chapter, and the art as well...leave a review and tell me what you thought about it! Remember, reviews are an author's lifeblood, so even if you don't have something profound to say, just saying you liked it helps too! ^^ Until next time!**


	3. Chapter 3

**And here we are again! Isn't it nice to have regular updates again? I know it's not the Pokemon story, but I'll say it as many times as I have to, it WILL be done! Just let my inspiration flow freely and all will be well. Promise. So, now we've gotten the Titans into Gotham City, and you all have hopefully gotten to take a look at Raven, Beast Boy and Starfire's civilian disguises courtesy of the one and only HollyLu. When we last left off, the media had jumped the Titans, and Bruce had to come to their rescue. Now, we see the aftermath of all that...and TWO twists. One twist will be obvious...the other twist? I'll be pleasantly surprised if you get the reference.**

 **So let's do the anon reviews!**

 **vi: I always try to reply to every review I see, and if I miss one, then I assure you (and everyone else) that it was not on purpose. It likely just got lost in my inbox...that happens sometimes. I'm glad you're enjoying the story so much, and hopefully you'll enjoy this new chapter just as much!**

 **And...that's that! Alright, no more waiting around, let's get started! I own nothing except the story.**

* * *

As soon as Bruce arrived, the disguised Titans suddenly found themselves no longer the subject of scrutiny, all the questions quickly switched over to Bruce, and Dick caught the signal Bruce sent to him with his eyes, indicating that they should slip out while the media was focused on him. "We have to go," He said quietly. "Follow me, Alfred probably has the limo right outside!" He silently picked up his luggage and walked quickly away from the mob of reporters, his friends following his lead. Once outside, Dick scanned the road for the parked limo, and a few moments later, he smiled as he spotted Alfred standing in front of their ride in his chauffeur uniform. "Looks like he dressed for the occasion," Dick chuckled as he waved for his friends to follow. "Let's go guys, as soon as we're in there, we're home free!"

They hurried over to the stretch limousine, and as soon as Alfred spotted them, the old man's eyes seem to light up with joy, even if his lips only quirked up ever so slightly; always the epitome of professionalism and poise he was. "Master Dick, it is ever so good to see you again. You certainly have grown since the last time I saw you."

"It's good to see you too, Alfred." Dick said with a bright smile. "But we can catch up later, right now we gotta make a break for it before the media circus comes back."

"Excellent idea." Alfred opened the door, and the Titans all squeezed in; Victor had the unfortunate disadvantage of being a bit too tall for the limousine, so he had to sprawl out a bit in order to not have to be hunched over. Luckily there was plenty of room for that. Then Alfred closed the door and got into the driver's seat. "I hope everyone is comfortable back there, fortunately the journey back to Wayne Manor will likely be a short one, traffic permitting. In the meantime, please help yourselves to any of the refreshments in the back."

"Refreshments?" Garfield's eyes lit up as he spotted a mini-fridge, and he immediately opened it up to see a veritable treasure trove of snacks and drinks. "Duuuuuude!" He grabbed a soda and took a swig, and the belch he let out echoed throughout the limo. "This is awesome! Talk about living in the lap of luxury!"

"C'mon man, at least wait until we're alone before goin' off the deep end." Victor rolled his eyes in disapproval before smirking at his friend. "And hand me one of those sodas while you're at it."

"Is there perhaps any mustard in the tiny refrigerator?"

"I wouldn't mind some tea if it's in there."

"What am I? Your personal butler?" Garfield flinched as he realized that Alfred was probably still listening in, and he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly and chuckled nervously. "Uh...no offense Mister Alfred, sir."

"Think nothing of it, Master Garfield, and please, just 'Alfred' will suffice," Alfred replied with laughter in his voice. "Why, this is nothing compared to some of the antics I had to put up with when Master Dick was running around the manor."

"Oh really?" Victor grinned and shot a sneaky look in Dick's direction, the grin growing wider when he saw Dick shooting him a disapproving glare. "Do tell."

 _"Don't_ tell!" Dick shot back, dragging his hand over his face in exasperation. "Listen, Alfred, um...can we get some privacy for a minute...I need to brief my team." He said awkwardly, much to the surprise of the others.

Alfred just took it in stride and nodded, a small smile appearing on his face before he closed the window separating them. "I do hope Master Bruce takes his time."

Once the window closed, Dick sighed and slouched in his seat, his features already showing the utter exhaustion that was setting in. "I'd rather go five rounds with Slade than go through that nightmare."

"Dick, what's goin' on? Ya kinda slipped into...y'know-"

"I know, Cyborg." Again his apparent misspeak stunned his teammates, but Dick just looked over at each and every one of his friends, his gaze lingering just a little bit longer on Kory...his shining Star. Finally he stood up and addressed the whole team. "I haven't been completely honest with you guys, and it's time I fixed that. When I said that Bruce Wayne was my... _k'norfka..."_ He shot a hesitant smile Kory's way, and she smiled back at him, giving him just a bit more strength to continue. "That was only half the truth. What I'm about to tell you can never be shared with anyone, not even the rest of the Titans-"

"Dude," Garfield scoffed and rolled his eyes, holding up a hand to cut him off. "If you're about to tell us that Bruce Wayne is Batman, don't even bother. We already knew."

Dick's jaw dropped and his limbs went limp as he paled, then he suddenly turned red as he whipped his head around to glare at Rachel, steam practically spewing out of his ears. "You-"

"Did nothing." Rachel deadpanned, again cutting Dick and his tantrum off before he could explode.

"B-But...how-"

"Dude, it's classic superhero comic cliché." Garfield grinned. "I mean it all adds up; tons of money, a tragic past, and then we find out our leader is Dick Grayson, the 'son' of Bruce Wayne? How could Batman be anyone else?"

"Yeeeah," Victor drawled as he rubbed the back of his head. "Have to admit, we were kinda playin' dumb back in the T-Ship, it wasn't hard to put the pieces together."

"I must admit," Kory said slowly as she folded her hands in her lap and looked down at the ground, avoiding her boyfriend's gaze. "I too surmised that your _k'norfka_ was the Batman of which you often speak so poorly of. I simply did not wish to anger you or put you in a precarious position by revealing that I knew this information." Finally she raised her head to stare earnestly at him as green met blue. "We will never reveal your secret, Richard, you _or_ the Batman, or may the flesh-eating _ruchyt_ of Tamaran devour our tongues."

"Uh...thanks, Star..." Dick rubbed his arm awkwardly. "Bit of a graphic sentiment, but you made your point and it's appreciated." Dick smiled and sat back down next to Kory, and she immediately laced her fingers with his and settled her head into the crook of his neck. "At least that's a load off my mind, but now I'm gonna have a huge mess to clean up with Bruce after what happened out there."

"I don't get it man, he seemed like a nice guy out there, what's the problem?"

Dick turned to Victor and exhaled through his nose. "Bruce tends to see everything through the cowl, what you saw out there was his 'playboy persona' that he puts on to keep anyone from suspecting that mild-mannered Bruce Wayne is actually the dark, brooding hero of Gotham City. In all honesty, Bruce is more of a mask than Batman is...and I guess that's something we have in common; Robin being more like my true self than Dick Grayson."

"I do not believe that is true." Kory lifted her head to stare earnestly into her boyfriend's eyes. "Now that we have seen both sides of you, we can see where Richard ends and Robin begins. When you lead us in battle and when you are focused on solving a mystery, or perhaps even thinking of ways to better our crime-fighting capabilities, that is Robin. Robin is also defensive, he is sometimes unwilling to let others in, for better or for worse." She placed a hand on his heart when he looked down guiltily, and that brought his eyes back to hers. "But Richard is kind, Richard is who we see when you do things simply for the joy of doing them, he is also the one who is hurt when one of us is feeling bad, he is vulnerable...and that is usually when Richard transforms back into Robin, in order to solve the problem and make things good again."

Dick stared in awe at his girlfriend. "I...never thought of it like that before."

"Our girl's a lot smarter than folks give her credit for, Rob." Victor smirked as he leaned forward with his arm resting on his knee. "I'd say she's right on the money; we've all pretty much got two sides to ourselves that make up a greater whole."

"Indeed." Kory nodded. "There are times when Robin and Richard intersect, such as when you play the videogames with friends Beast Boy and Cyborg, you are competitive like Robin and excited and happy like Richard." She closed her eyes and shook her head a moment. "I am rambling, forgive me. What I believe I am trying to say is...neither of your sides are more _true_ than the other. Everything that defines both Robin and Richard combine to make who you are; there is more to Richard than meets the eye, and there is more to Robin than meets the mask."

Dick said nothing for several moments, then finally breathed out a chuckle and admired his girlfriend for a bit. "If we weren't being watched, I would so kiss you right now."

"Well you are, so spare us the display." Rachel deadpanned, though her face bore a small smirk under her hood. "Well...only about forty-five minutes in Gotham and we've already had a huge team heart-to-heart. What's next?"

"Next, we go the manor and you guys relax while I deal with Bruce." Dick frowned as his mind played out the likely scenarios and arguments that would take place. "With any luck, we'll be able to focus more on Red X and not so much the extracurriculars...but knowing Bruce, I won't get that lucky."

"Hey, I just realized something!" Garfield exclaimed in realization. "If Batman's here, then who's keeping an eye on Red X?!"

"Batgirl." The team's spines went ramrod straight as the suddenly imposing figure of Bruce Wayne entered the limousine. The voice they'd heard was nowhere near as velvety as it had been before, now much more coarse and rough, deeper even, and the charming smile had been replaced by a hard, neutral line. "Welcome to Gotham City, Teen Titans."

* * *

After the initial shock, the Titans were unable to bring themselves to say much on the ride to Wayne Manor. Thankfully, Alfred's prediction of a short trip was mercifully correct, and they were able to exit the limousine and get some fresh air; Bruce's presence had made it almost stifling. "Sheesh," Garfield whispered to Rachel as he grabbed both of their luggage. "That dude's wound tighter than a python about to squeeze the life out of its dinner."

"Now we know where Robin gets it from." Rachel whispered back. "I'll take my luggage now."

"Nah, don't worry about it." He winked at her and shot her a grin. "Consider this my good deed for the day. Besides, best to make as good of a first impression as possible, am I right?"

Rachel smirked. "Right. Thank you, Gar."

The rest of the Titans grabbed their luggage and carried it into the manor themselves, much to Alfred's dismay as the butler insisted that it was his duty to carry the bags. "Forget it, Alfred." Dick smirked as Alfred continued to fume. "We can handle this part. Besides, you'll have plenty to take care of in the next few hours, Victor can eat enough to feed an army all by himself."

"Guilty as charged."

Alfred nodded in understanding. "Very well then, Master Dick. If you'll follow me, I will escort you and your friends to the guest wing, where you can unpack and get freshened up."

"After that," Bruce chimed in much to the shock of the others; already they were starting to realize that Bruce had a knack for coming out of nowhere. "I would appreciate if we got acquainted; I'm sure by now all of you are aware that Dick is actually Batman's former partner, Robin, which means you've probably figured out that _I'm_ Batman."

"Bruce-"

"No, Dick," Bruce said firmly as he held up a hand to cut him off. "We'll discuss this later. Right now, Batgirl is down in the cave keeping our _guest_ occupied. Do whatever you need to do to get settled, then meet back here in ten minutes, as your hero selves." With that, Bruce walked off leaving the Titans to themselves, one of whom was dreading his own existence.

"Terrific, he already knows." Dick sighed as he ran his fingers through his hair. "The hits just keep on coming."

"Master Bruce has never been one to mince words," Alfred said comfortingly. "Come along then, young masters, it's best we not keep him waiting." As Alfred led the Titans to the guest wing, he showed them each to their own individual rooms, until he was left alone with Dick. "You have two options, Master Dick...you can take the final guest room here with your friends, or you can reclaim your old room, I've made it up for you just in case you felt the desire to do so."

"The guest room will be fine, but I appreciate the sentiment." Dick gave the butler a tired smile before it faded into a frown as he dipped his head and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Things haven't changed much have they? Tell me the truth, Alfred, do I need to prepare for war like I think I'll have to?"

The older man hesitated for a moment before giving a fatigued sigh of his own. "You may very well have to do so, Master Dick...but then, on the other hand, you may find that things have indeed changed more than you're aware." Alfred continued when Dick raised a confused eyebrow. "I hesitate to admit this, God knows it would take a miracle for Master Bruce to admit it himself...but he has missed you more than you realize, and I'm not referring to Robin, though he has missed you in that regard as well."

"I _couldn't_ stay, Alfred. All the secrets, all the lies, I couldn't stand it anymore!" The Boy Wonder closed his fist and slammed it against the wall, leaning against the wall with his arm with his head on top of that, his eyes squeezed shut in frustration. "Everything we'd been through, fighting crime, saving lives...but at what cost? Traumatizing kids while he interrogated their parents, having no regard for the lives of the people he swore to help, or the people who helped him for that matter!" He bumped the wall with the side of his fist again and grit his teeth as he again turned back to Alfred. "It was bad enough he kept breaking his own code of conduct, but to keep the fact that Barbara was Batgirl from me, _knowing_ we were dating, _knowing_ that we were supposed to be partners! What kind of partner gets left in the dark about something as important as that, and for what?! He never respected me, Alfred! I was nothing but his little sidekick all along...and I was dumb enough to believe otherwise."

The butler closed his eyes and lowered his head for a moment before answering. "You have every right to feel the way you do, Master Dick. However, I would offer that things are not as black and white as you make them out to be."

"Oh?" Dick crossed his arms over his chest. "And how's that?"

Again Alfred hesitated, and after glancing at a clock on the wall, he turned back to the young man and placed his hands on his shoulders, something that caused Dick's eyes to widen as Alfred had rarely ever veered out of his lane like this. "I know that you still care, Master Dick, and despite the impression you may get, I know for a _fact_ that Master Bruce has missed you dearly. It hasn't been the same without you, _he_ hasn't been the same without you." He then took his hands off Dick and placed them behind his back as he stood up straight, once again the epitome of professionalism and poise. "It might be best if you discuss this with Master Bruce personally...in the meantime, I believe Robin and the rest of the Teen Titans have a scoundrel that needs to be taken care of."

Dick watched the man walk off, and then shook his head in exhaustion and walked into the final guest room. It was extravagant, as always. His own bathroom, a king-size bed, dimmable lights and a soft green color scheme that created quite a cozy atmosphere. It would have been relaxing, had his nerves not been frayed to the point of snapping. "I can't do this..." He dropped his suitcase and flopped face first onto the massive bed; it smelled of the detergent that Alfred used in the wash, bringing back memories of when he would help fold the sheets simply because he needed an excuse to escape from training for a while. "Now I give Beast Boy a hard time over pulling the same trick," He snorted derisively. "How the tables turn." He jumped when he heard a knock on his door. "Who is it?"

"It is me."

Starfire. Of course. He sighed and picked up his suitcase and placed it on the bed, his back turned to the door as he opened it and started unpacking what little he had. "Come on in, Star." He heard the door open and then close again, and seconds later, he felt his girlfriend hover over to him, and in his peripheral vision, he could see she was still dressed in her Kory Anders disguise. "How's the room?"

"The accommodations are wonderful, Richard. Your _g'tuverth_ Alfred has made certain that I will be most comfortable."

"My what?" Dick chuckled and started to turn around. "You know you're gonna have to-" His tongue seemed to grow three sizes too big for his mouth as he choked on his words. When he finally got a full look at her, he briefly forgot how to think as a rush of desire flooded into his belly. Gone was Kory and in her place was Starfire, _his_ Starfire; golden skin, glowing eyes and all the love he could ever ask for. If the outfit she was wearing made her look amazing before, she was simply a goddess now. Finally he was able to form words again, so he used some. "Wow...you know, I think you really _could_ be a model."

Starfire gave a small smile at the compliment. "I thank you...but I would not wish to share myself with the world..." Her eyes softened even more, and Dick's knees went weak at the amount of love that seemed to be oozing out of her. "I am for _you,_ Richard." She floated right to him and wrapped her arms around him, and it took him merely a second to reciprocate as he squeezed her tight. "Please, do not allow yourself to fall into 'the funk' as friend Cyborg would say. Perhaps this will be an opportunity to repair what has been fractured."

Dick sighed and released the embrace, pushing her back a bit so he could look her in her eyes. "Star, you don't understand. Bruce, what he did...he doesn't trust me, do you know how that feels? He practically _raised me_ after...after my..." His face contorted as he looked away and squeezed his eyes shut, fighting to swallow down the grief he could feel building up in his chest. "It's not like he'd change, he's set in his ways and no matter what, he'll always believe that his way is the best way, no matter who he hurts in the process. How can I just...forgive him for that?"

"I know _exactly_ how that feels..." Starfire pulled back completely and looked away for a moment before glancing back at him. "Just as you feel the Batman did not trust you, it was not that long ago that _you_ did not trust _us,_ when you first became the Red X."

Dick's breath hitched in his throat, her words piercing right into his soul. "I-guh-that was different!"

"Was it _really_ different, Richard?"

 _"Of course_ it was!" He threw his arms out to his sides. "The only reason I did that was because I didn't want Slade to suspect anything! There was a _reason_ for what I did! I'm not saying I was _justified,_ but at least I didn't do it just for the sake of keeping a secret! I had a goal in mind!"

"It does not matter." Starfire shook her head. _"We_ did not know your reason at the time, just as you do not know the Batman's reason _now_ for not telling you _his_ secret. Just as you are hurt by his actions, so _we_ were by yours. It is no different...and yet we forgave you."

"It _is_ different, Starfire! I-" Then he stopped, his girlfriend had turned her head away and closed her eyes, her hands folded in front of her stomach. The image jarred him from his locked and loaded response...and his eyes widened in realization before he slumped his shoulders and bowed his head in shame. "It really _isn't_ different...is it?"

"It is not," Starfire said quietly as she crouched down to get in his line of sight again, cradling his face in her palms. "But please do not think that what I am telling you is with the intention of harming you, I merely wish to convey that this _rekmas_ that you and your _k'norfka_ have suffered is not yet permanent, I believe there is still time to change things for the better. We forgave _you,_ _d'anthe l'ani,_ now forgive _him_ of the same grievance, and start your bonding anew."

The Boy Wonder slowly lifted his hands to place them over hers, then he suddenly pulled her in for a tight embrace, with one arm around her waist and the other curling up and around her back to grip at her fiery mane of hair, his chin resting on her shoulder as he absorbed her emanating warmth, soothing his troubled soul. "God, Star...how did you do it?"

"Do what?"

"Forgive me so easily? You didn't even think twice, none of you did."

"Oh, Richard." She reached up to stroke his hair, the other arm holding him close to her as she gently lifted them up enough so that they were both comfortably sitting on the bed. "It is because we care for you, we _love_ you...and I believe it is one of your Earthly religious texts that says that love covers over a multitude of sins. You are family, Richard, and even when you make mistakes, you always have our best interests at heart. How could we _not_ forgive you?"

Once again, Dick was left speechless, so he simply closed his eyes and snuggled deeper into the comforting embrace of his Tamaranean girlfriend. "Okay...then...I guess I'll try to do the same."

"I thank you." She pulled back for just a moment so that she could lean back in and give him a tender kiss, which she broke after just a few seconds to look into his eyes again, brushing aside a stray lock of his hair. "I am certain that you will not regret this decision. I am positive that your _k'norfka_ still cares for you."

"I know he does, Star...and I care about him too...I just...don't know if we'll be able to come to an understanding, _that's_ what I'm the most worried about."

"You will never know until you try." She floated away from his embrace and landed back on her feet in front of him. "Come, we must not keep the Batman waiting, we still have the Red X to take care of."

"You're right, you're right." Dick took a deep breath and exhaled it out of his mouth before getting up off the bed, removing his inactive holo-ring and placing it into the case. "As much as I think you'd enjoy the show," Dick snarked with a smirk. "I think it'd be best if you left while I got changed."

Starfire smirked back, and instead turned around so that her back was to him. "You have my word that I shall not do the peeking."

"Not sure I believe you, but whatever." His smirk only grew as he started stripping down to switch back into his Robin uniform. "Hey, Star?"

"Yes?"

"Um...what did those Tamaranean words mean?"

"Oh...well, if you are referring to the one I just used now, _'d'anthe l'ani,'_ it is a Tamaranean term of endearment for one's significant other."

"What does it mean in English?"

"I believe the closest translation would be, keeper of my heart."

Dick's own heart warmed at that. "That's real sweet, Star...I hope you don't mind if _I_ use that."

"Nothing would bring me more joy."

"And the other? _Klumatra?_ I'm dressed by the way."

Starfire turned around and saw her Richard now once again dressed in the way she knew him best. His taut muscles rippling through the Robin uniform, the sight made her heart race as a smile involuntarily formed on her face. _"K'lu Malth'era..."_ She corrected gently as she walked up to him. Then she momentarily removed his mask and wrapped her arms around his neck, reveling in the way his eyes gleamed with affection for her. "That means, quite simply, I love you."

The revelation instantly brought a smile to his own face, and he hugged her close before placing one more kiss onto her lips, the soft hum she gave causing his heart to swell. He pulled back moments later, removing her arms and grasping her hands in his larger, gloved ones. _"K'lu Malth'era,_ Koriand'r."

"I love you too, Richard."

* * *

As soon as they exited Robin's room, they were met by the rest of their smirking teammates, even Raven couldn't help but shoot a teasing gaze their way. They had blushed, and Starfire briefly excused herself to change back into her own uniform, leaving Robin to face the others. "Not a word out of any of you."

So Cyborg and Beast Boy opted to whistle knowingly instead.

"I hate you all."

Fortunately it didn't take long for Starfire to switch back to her usual look, and they all went back to the front entrance of the manor together...where Batman was waiting for them. "Dude," Beast Boy whispered excitedly in Cyborg's ear. "It's the freaking _Batman!_ Guess this means we've made it to the big leagues!"

"Far as I'm concerned," Cyborg whispered back through the side of his mouth. "We're _already_ big time, this just confirms it."

"Zip it you two." Robin grunted quietly before stepping forward to size Batman up. At six foot two, the Dark Knight still had plenty of an advantage over the Boy Wonder, and it was clear who out of the two of them had more muscle mass and overall strength. Batman cut an imposing figure, and with his chiseled jaw set and spine ramrod straight, there was no question he was all business. "Batman."

Batman simply nodded at his former partner before addressing the Titans behind him. "As it's clear you've already learned the truth, there's no point in putting this off. What you are about to see can never be shared with anyone, under any circumstance. My anonymity, as well as Robin's, is _crucial_ for doing what we do, and the slightest slip-up could spell disaster; not just for Robin and I, but for all of Gotham and potentially the world. Wayne Enterprises has investments in research and development ranging from science to medicine, and if anyone knew I was Batman, all of that could come crashing down, which would allow less equitable businessmen like Lex Luthor to retake control of the flow of development."

"Bruce, enough." Robin scowled and crossed his arms over his chest in annoyance. "They get the picture, they've known who _I_ am for nearly a year, and no one's slipped."

Batman's eyes narrowed slightly. "Nevertheless, I'd like to hear it from them." He turned to the Titans again, much to Robin's annoyance as the boy's scowl grew. "You understand the responsibility that comes with knowing our identities, correct? You're expected to do everything within your power to keep that information confidential, no matter what the cost."

"We understand." Raven replied as she took one step forward. "Rest assured, your secrets will be taken to our graves."

Batman raised an eyebrow. "Including from the other Titans? I know for a fact that you recently recruited a Hive Academy graduate to your network."

"And how do _you_ know-" Robin bit his tongue to cut himself off, nearly drawing blood as he fought to swallow his barely contained frustration. Glancing backwards for a moment to look at Starfire, he remembered his promise and kept his voice level. "Jinx has proven herself to be a changed person. We're superheroes, Batman; our job is _not_ to just punch out bad guys and solve crimes, it's also to be a beacon of hope for the people under our care, and I firmly believe that _everyone_ deserves a second chance." He suddenly smirked at his former mentor. "Isn't that what Arkham Asylum is for? To rehabilitate those who need help and eventually give them a second chance at life?"

"True." Batman admitted, much to Robin's satisfaction as the boy stood up a little straighter. "However, the inmates at Arkham are clinically and legally insane, and have noted doctors and psychiatrists working with them to ensure that they are ready to rejoin society; they have to pass a competency hearing and show that they have been cured of their psychotic behavior for a minimum of six months. That's far different than simply taking a villainess at her word that she's reformed."

"Oh, I agree of course, villains should _never_ be trusted," Robin scoffed sarcastically before fixing Batman with a pointed glare. "By the way, how's Selina?" That earned Robin a patented bat-glare, but at this point he was unfazed by it. "This is pointless, Bruce. The damage is already done; they know, and there's nothing you can do to change it. If you can't trust _them,_ then at least trust _me_ when I say our secret could not be in better hands."

For several moments, Batman remained silent, staring down the Titans behind his cowl. Finally, he gave a curt nod. "Very well. Come with me." He then turned and led the young people to the manor library, where he pulled on the pendulum of the grandfather clock, and it slid aside to reveal a stone staircase leading down into a dank, dark cave.

"Duuuude, can _we_ get one of those in the tower?"

"Not unless you plan on diggin' the tunnel yourself, grass stain."

Batman chose to ignore the banter and simply flipped a switch that turned on several floodlights, which revealed the rest of the stairs and the entirety of the infamous Batcave. "I captured Red X while he was attempting to steal the tires off the Batmobile, most likely in an attempt to sell them on the black market for cash." As Batman led them down the stairs, the Titans - sans Robin - oohed and aahed at the grandeur they were witnessing. The Batcomputer took up a large part of the cave all by itself, and it was Beast Boy who seemed most enamored by it.

"Look at the size of that thing! I bet there's no videogame in the _world_ it can't play!"

"I'm sure it has more _practical_ uses." Raven rolled her eyes under her hood. "I take it that the computer has been upgraded a lot over the years."

"Yes." Batman replied without looking back. "Originally, it was simply used for quick information searches and an electronic filing system for criminal profiles. Since then, with the recent breakthroughs in technology, the computer can now uplink to any satellite in the world and access classified files that have been crucial to solving several cases."

"With _that_ kind of processing power, I bet even the Titan mainframe is fair game." Beast Boy commented.

"No way, I update the software every week, our computer's just as cutting edge as-"

"Actually, your security system has a few flaws in it." Batman cut Cyborg off suddenly. "While it did take some doing, I was able to hack into the Titan mainframe a few months ago when I needed to gather information regarding Killer Moth when he attempted to raid a Wayne Biotech research lab doing experiments on female hormone imbalances. The intended goal of the research was to find a way to prevent such things from ever occurring, but Killer Moth had...other ideas."

"You hacked into our mainframe?!" Cyborg's anger was quickly quelled though when another thought came to him. "Wait, Killer Moth did what? For what?"

Batman hesitated to answer. "That's classified."

"Classified?!" Cyborg's anger came roaring back. "You hack into _our_ mainframe and now you can't even tell us why Killer Moth went and did something so weird? He's _our_ villain!"

"Cyborg," Raven said firmly. "Trust me when I say this...you _don't_ want to know."

"And why not? And how do _you_ know?!"

Raven sighed and suppressed a shudder, and she lifted off the ground to whisper in Cyborg's ear. "I can _feel_ Batman's discomfort, and I even got a mental image of what Killer Moth wanted with whatever he wanted to steal...it's disturbing."

"Try me." Cyborg's pressing finally got him his wish, as Raven explained exactly what Killer Moth had planned...and the more she talked, the paler Cyborg became as his face scrunched in disgust. "Kitten wanted to _what?!"_ He squeaked. "That's...that's messed up! Ugh! Thank God my memory has a delete function!"

"Don't you dare, I don't ever want to repeat this conversation. Next time, just _trust me_ when I say something."

"Dude, _I_ wanna know!" Beast Boy exclaimed. "What did Kitten want?"

"Shut up and walk, there's no way I'm going to put more garbage in your mind than there already is."

"Raaaaaveeeeen!"

"Is your team always this...excitable?"

Robin cringed at Batman's inquiry. So much for good impressions. "We're teenagers, Batman." He finally grunted. "When it's time to get serious, we're a well-oiled machine...and for the record, we're going to talk about invasion of privacy, _again."_

Batman said nothing and continued leading them deeper into the cave, where he had built interrogation and holding cells in the event someone needed to be held in protective custody. "We're almost there. Because of the nature of Red X's abilities, I made sure to remove the suit and place the xenothium power core into a secure storage facility, to make sure he couldn't teleport away. Had the suit not malfunctioned, he likely would have easily escaped. The suit's a remarkable piece of engineering."

"It was a mistake," Robin snarled through gritted teeth, his fists clenched in self-disgust. "A mistake I won't repeat ever again."

"You attempted to go undercover, it was a good plan to gather information."

Robin snapped his head up to glare at Batman. "I nearly lost everything because of that plan, the cost wasn't worth the potential reward."

"Sometimes things don't go as planned, that's the reality of detective work."

Batman's level tone of voice was only serving to make Robin angrier. How could he be so casual about all this? Didn't he realize that he'd nearly lost his friends and even his _life_ because of that suit? And he had the _gall_ to _compliment_ him on what he did! _"Naturally,"_ He thought darkly. _"After all, Batman_ _doesn't_ have _friends, why would_ he _care about something like that?"_ This wasn't the time to argue, especially not with Starfire still in the room, his promise to her to try and make peace with Bruce still looming largely over him. "You put Red X in a holding cell?"

"Yes." Another nod from Batman. "Batgirl's been keeping an eye on him to make sure he doesn't try to escape; he's got a few skills, but most of his abilities seem to rely on the suit's power. He tried to get past Batgirl once, but it didn't take much for her to restrain him, his martial arts are fairly basic in nature."

"Then it should be fairly easy to transport the Red X back to our city so that he may face the consequences for his crimes." Starfire spoke up.

"Never assume anything," Batman said warningly. "The moment you let your guard down, that's when things are most likely to fall apart." His words silenced the Titans, and after a few more minutes, they turned a corner, and down the corridor they saw a new face.

There was a young, slim woman with red hair and a bat-themed costume leaning against the wall with her arms crossed over her chest. The color scheme of her suit was mostly black and shades of dark blue, but there were also shocking contrasts of bright yellow in the form of her gauntlets, boots, the inside of her waist-length cape, and the bat symbol on her chest. She turned and smiled when she saw the team coming, and she put a hand on her hip as they came up to her. "Well well, the prodigal son returns, it's been a long time, Robin."

"Batgirl." Robin gave her a curt nod, a slight pang in his chest as memories of his past life started playing in his mind. "You look good, glad to see the Gotham nightlife hasn't gotten to you."

"It still has its moments, but I can handle it." She smirked at the Boy Wonder who was now a couple inches taller than her. "You've grown up, height looks good on you." She walked up to him and sized him up, a brief spark in her eyes as similar memories came to her. "We've missed you around here, y'know. Hasn't been the same."

"So I keep hearing." Robin frowned and took a step back, much to Batgirl's apparent disappointment as she turned away slightly and crossed her arms with a frown of her own. "I'm sure you've heard of my team by now," Robin gestured towards the Titans. "This is Cyborg, Raven, Beast Boy...and my _girlfriend,_ Starfire."

"Oh." Batgirl closed her blue eyes for a moment, pasting a smile on her face as she forced herself to look at them all. "Pleasure to meet you all, you've done amazing things over in Jump City, you must have some amazing stories to tell." She looked back to Robin. "Maybe you'd be willing to share some after this is over?"

"We'll see." Robin flicked his eyes towards Batman as he said that, then stepped up to the cell that Batgirl had been looking at before they met up. There, Robin was once again mask to mask with one of his most elusive villains. Laying on a bed with an empty plate of food on the table next to him, was none other than Red X, who had been stripped of his suit just as Batman said, and was now wearing a simple t-shirt and pants despite keeping the mask to hide his identity. "Red X."

"Well look who it is," Red X drawled as he stretched and sat up in the bed. "Hiya, Chuckles...have to say, if this is your idea of prison, then chain me to the wall!"

Robin raised an eyebrow and looked over his shoulder to glance questioningly at Batman, but of course he received no response, just the same, steady stare he always wore. "You won't be making jokes like that when we take you back to Jump City Penitentiary."

"Still wound up as ever I see, have to say you'd probably be right, I imagine the guards _there_ aren't as good-looking as the one who's been keeping a _very_ close eye on me." Red X then turned his head slightly to the left, and the smirk he was wearing under his mask could practically be heard. "Of course, with all due respect to the bat girl, I'd trade her for you in a heartbeat, cutie." He chuckled huskily at the Tamaranean girl. "She's pretty and all but she doesn't have your build."

"My _build_ is not your concern." Starfire sneered, her eyes glowing with energy. "And you will cease being a _geumvist_ or you will find yourself in a _very_ uncomfortable situation."

"Is that a threat or a promise?"

"Enough!" Raven raised her hand and a second later, Red X was mumbling incoherently behind his mask. "That'll shut him up. Can we _please_ get this over with?"

"Yeah, it's time we found out who this creep is once and for all!" Beast Boy said as he pounded a fist into his palm. "Then we can put him where he belongs for a good long time!"

"I'm afraid it won't be that simple."

Robin stiffened and slowly turned around to face Batman, his eyes narrowed dangerously. "There's something you're not telling us...you already _know_ who he is, don't you?" Batman didn't reply, and simply walked up to open the cell door to make room for Robin, whose muscles were now wound so tight that it took every ounce of his self-control not to grab Red X by the lapels and throw him up against the wall. "Who are you?" He growled in his face.

Red X simply pointed at his own face, then after a quick nod from Robin, Raven removed the magical gag and allowed him to talk again. "You really haven't figured it out by now? Think back, Robin. There's only one other person who's gotten close enough to you and Batman to have an idea of where to find the suit and how to access it."

"You're lying, there _isn't_ anyone else."

"I don't mean emotionally speaking, I'm talking physical proximity...think _real_ hard." Red X tilted his head to the side a bit. "Maybe a hint'll help...does the name 'Frog' ring a bell?"

Robin's eyes widened for a moment, then he grit his teeth and narrowed his eyes again as he ripped Red X's mask off, letting it clatter to the ground. Robin jerked back as memories once more flooded his mind at the sight of the boy's brown eyes and hair, but this time they were much different in nature. "No way..."

"Way." Red X stood up and smirked at him, the lack of a voice synthesizer now revealing a more high-pitched tone of voice, like it was still in the middle of changing. "It's your ol' pal Jason. Hi, Dick, good to finally see you again face to face."

* * *

 **A/N: I'm sure 99% of you saw Jason Todd being Rex X coming...how many of you know who "Frog" is though? I love taking creative liberties, much like the DCAU did when setting up the backstories for its characters. Maybe some of you will look it up, maybe some of you already know what I'm talking about. If you do, then tell me! I wanna know what you all think about the connection I'm making here.**

 **There will be more on this little twist of mine in the next chapter...but until then, I hope you all enjoyed this one. Make sure to follow and fav this story so you're alerted to updates, and make sure to leave a quick review! Remember you don't need an account to do that, just leave a temporary name below and say what you wanna say if that's what you wanna do.**

 **Until next time dear readers!**


	4. Chapter 4

"I can't believe it." Robin stalked back and forth across the floor of the Batcave, his fists clenched and his mask off as Batman sat in the chair in front of the Batcomputer and worked while his ward fumed. "All this time, Red X was someone we knew." He stopped and glared at the back of Batman's head. "Did you know the whole time?"

"No, although I had a hunch that the list of people who could bypass your security and steal the suit in the first place was a short one. It wasn't until I took Red X into custody that I was able to confirm my suspicions."

"And why didn't you tell me?! Darn it, Bruce, this is exactly why I left in the first place! Why would you keep this hidden from me?!"

Batman turned in his chair to face the Boy Wonder. "I was under the impression that you didn't want to hear from me, so I stayed out of your affairs for the most part. I wasn't even sure if I was going to tell you I'd captured Red X, but I figured you'd want to have a say in what happens to him from here."

Robin huffed and unclenched his fists, his shoulders slouched after his outbursts. After the reveal of Red X's identity, Robin had his team, along with Batgirl, take their prisoner up to the manor to keep an eye on him there while Robin... _talked_ to Batman. "Alright, you win that round. I _didn't_ want to hear from you, but only because I was angry because you kept hiding things from me, not to mention doing things that went against your own code of conduct."

"I only hid what I felt was necessary to keep from you." Batman leaned forward in his chair. "As I said before, it wasn't my place to tell you that Barbara was Batgirl, that was _her_ secret. She never _told me_ anything, I simply deduced it. If she wanted me to know, she would have told me herself, and the same goes for you; you should have respected her right to keep it from you."

"I..." Robin raised a finger as he prepared to fire back...but again, Bruce had a valid point. "Can't...disagree with that, I guess in some ways I should be more mad at Barbara than you, but that doesn't change the fact that you still didn't think highly enough of me to tell me the truth. It's not like _I_ would've blabbed it to anyone!"

"What would you have done, Dick?" Batman slid his cowl off his face, revealing the face of Bruce Wayne underneath. "Would you have been able to just leave it alone? Would you have confronted Barbara about why she didn't want to tell you the truth? You were still a kid who was just starting to hit puberty, trying to find his place in the world like any other teenager."

"I dunno what I would've done, okay?!" Robin grunted, running a hand through his hair as his mind raced with possible scenarios that could have happened had things been different. Why did Bruce have to be so calm about everything, every single one of his arguments so far had been disarmed with just a simple sentence. There was no way he was going to be forced to admit that this whole mess had happened just because he'd been a child throwing a temper tantrum. "All I wanted was a little respect, Bruce. I wanted to be treated as an equal, not as a sidekick."

"I couldn't give you that, you were too young, and you were still learning what it meant to be a crime fighter. I-" Batman was suddenly cut off when the Batcomputer started beeping loudly, and the Dark Knight quickly turned back around to type and figure out the source of the trouble. "Looks like the Joker's up to something again."

Robin growled and picked up his mask off the ground and placed it back onto his face as he leaned against Batman's chair. "What's he up to this time?"

"Reports are coming in that the Joker's robbed a local joke shop; squirting flowers, whoopee cushions, stink bombs, Joker must be stocking up on materials so he can prepare some of his own tricks."

"So he's just out of junk and he needs to make more, sounds like a simple arrest for once."

"You know better than anyone that it's never simple with the Joker." Batman slipped his cowl back over his head and got up to walk towards the Batmobile...then he stopped and looked over his shoulder. "You coming?"

Robin raised an eyebrow. "You actually want me along?"

"I never wanted you to leave, Dick." Batman then ran towards his car as the hatch opened up and he hopped inside. "Yes or no? I can't risk the Joker getting away."

"Alright...maybe just this once." As Robin rushed into the passenger seat of the Batmobile and the hatch closed as the car's engine roared to life, the Boy Wonder pulled his communicator out of his belt and activated it. "Robin to Titans, just giving you the heads up, I'm going with Batman to chase down the Joker, keep an eye on Red X and make sure he doesn't try anything. When I get back, we'll figure out what to do with the kid."

 _"Understood. Good luck."_ Raven's voice rasped back.

And with that taken care of, the Batmobile zoomed down the winding path leading out of the Batcave, officially marking the return of the dynamic duo to the streets of Gotham.

Not that everyone was necessarily happy with that.

"He did _not_ just leave me behind!" Batgirl fumed as she pouted and crossed her arms over her chest.

"I believe Batman was simply hoping to reconnect with his wayward Robin," Alfred said consolingly as he poured the disgruntled girl a cup of coffee. "Don't begrudge the man for wanting to try and make amends, even if his methods may be somewhat suspect. Cleaning up the streets of Gotham is how they first bonded; while it's no substitute for sitting down and clearing the air, I believe going back to an old routine may actually allow them to eventually reach that point."

"I dunno," Batgirl replied skeptically before taking a sip of her brew. "The way those two are, especially with Robin used to being a leader of his own team now, it might actually be _harder_ for them to work together. After all, Batman doesn't exactly appreciate when people go off script, and Robin doesn't appreciate being told what to do...if they end up disagreeing on something, it could make things awkward at best...and dead at worst, especially if they end up in the middle of a fight."

What they didn't know was that their conversation was being eavesdropped on. Starfire had become curious as to the discussion they were having and pressed herself against the wall to stay out of sight, and the more she listened, the more worried she became for her boyfriend. Closing her eyes and giving her head a firm shake, she screwed on a fierce expression and forced herself away from the kitchen wall; worrying wasn't going to accomplish anything. Robin had promised her that he would try to make things right with his _k'norfka,_ and she had to have faith that he would honor that.

Instead, she went back to her friends, who were all sitting around the library trying their best to keep themselves occupied. Red X was being held in place by a tendril of Raven's power even as she read a rather large book that Starfire couldn't make out the title of, Cyborg appeared to be doing a systems check, and Beast Boy...Beast Boy seemed very bored, laying on the nearby couch with his face smushed into the cushions.

"I'm soooo _booooored!"_ He howled out before faceplanting back into the cushions, then he rolled over onto his side and gave a loud sigh. "How come _Robin_ gets to go out and kick butt while _we_ have to babysit? Couldn't we at least do it in a place that has more to do? I mean this is a freaking _mansion!_ There's _gotta_ be something to do here."

"You're surrounded by what could quite possibly be every book known to mankind," Raven grumbled with her eyes narrowed dangerously. "Engage your brain with something that doesn't flash with bright colors for once and find something to _read,_ maybe you'll actually _like it."_

"Every book ever?" Beast Boy sat up and leaned over to Raven with a defiant look. _"Au contraire,_ I don't see any comics or manga around here, so _clearly_ that's not true. Where's the 'Two Piece,' where's the comic adaptation of 'Clash of the Planets?' There isn't even a doggone 'Pixie Wing' volume, and that's one of the most popular manga of all time!"

"You're such a weeaboo."

"I am not!" Beast Boy stomped his foot indignantly. "And how do you even know that word, Miss I've-Never-Read-Anything-Less-Than-Five-Hundred-Pages?"

"Star told me what _otaku_ means, seems that word got used to describe you a _lot_ during our trip to Tokyo." Raven rolled her eyes at Beast Boy's sputtering. "Look, just _pick something_ and move on."

"I might have a suggestion, since your pal likes animals so much, maybe Dr. Dolittle would be right up his alley."

"Doctor who?"

Raven raised an eyebrow at the suggestion...particularly since it came from Red X, but after she took a moment to actually ponder the idea, she shrugged and decided to give it a try. "Sure, why not? If anything could capture Beast Boy's attention, maybe something centered around animals would do it." She sent out a separate tendril of black energy to search through the library, and after a few moments, the book in question was found and she flung it towards Beast Boy, who had to put up his hands to block the book from hitting him and then bobbled it after failing to make a clean catch. "Just give that a try," She said earnestly. "An honest, sincere try; I have a feeling you just might like that one."

"We'll see about that." Beast Boy grumbled as he turned the book to read the cover. "'The Story of Doctor Dolittle'...hmm..."

Raven hid a smile behind her book as she watched Beast Boy get comfortable and open his own reading material, then she shifted her eyes to the unmasked Red X, who seemed to be looking at her rather smugly. "Don't be too proud of yourself, it's not like getting Beast Boy to read a book is something worth giving you a clean slate."

"Gotta admit it was pretty impressive though." Cyborg grinned mischievously.

"Shh, I'm reading!"

The remaining Titans looked at each other in shock, even Raven's jaw dropped. "Starfire, Cyborg...lock me up somewhere, I think the second coming of Trigon may be upon us."

"Please," Starfire chirped as she floated up to their prisoner. "How did you know that Beast Boy would be interested in that particular reading material?"

"I read a lot, cutie." Red X smirked as he looked her up and down, which did not go unnoticed as she scowled at him for it. "It's not every day I get to enjoy some serious eye candy, so I have to do _something_ while I'm not working."

"I am _not_ candy for your eyes." Starfire whipped her head to the side and closed her eyes, her nose upturned as she crossed her arms over her chest. Then she turned back and pointed accusingly at the boy, giving him a glare. _"Now_ I wish to know how you are aware of Robin's _true_ name, and is your name Frog or Jason? You used both in the cave of bats."

"Whoa, at least buy me dinner first, that's kinda personal."

"It is not so personal that you cannot tell us. I do not know how, but you _know_ our friend, and if you do _not_ tell us..." Starfire lit up a starbolt and held it up to the boy's face. "Then you may present a threat to him, and I will be forced to take drastic action."

"Star-"

"No, friend Cyborg." Starfire glared over her shoulder to silence him. "I am giving him a choice. He can tell us the truth, or he can be _removed._ As the Batman said, their secret _must_ be kept safe...at _all_ costs."

Red X's eyes widened briefly at the sight of the glowing orb of energy giving off enough heat to make him sweat, then he glanced up to give Starfire a deadpan look. "For a second there, I almost believed you. But you hero types don't kill, even _Batman_ refused to kill that lowlife Sewer King, and there was probably no one on this planet who deserved it more."

"I am _not_ the Batman." She hovered closer, getting right into his face with her eyes glowing hot with energy. "I was trained from an early age by the Warlords of Okaara, I escaped a Gordanian transport that was taking me to the Citadel to live out my days as their slave, I have endured hardships that would break most beings...if you think me incapable of killing..." She inched even closer, and the boy's eyes filled with fear as she whispered in his ear and her starbolt grew even brighter, filling his vision. "Then you are sadly mistaken."

"You gonna just let her threaten me like this?!"

Raven didn't even look up from her book. "I'm half-demon, I'm not exactly unaccustomed to death."

"Dude, I've got the entire animal kingdom inside me." Beast Boy shrugged and went back to his own book. "That includes carnivores."

Red X looked over to Cyborg again. "And you?! What's your excuse?!"

"I don't have one." Cyborg raised his hands up. "I'm just smart enough to know not to get in Star's way when she's on the warpath, nice knowin' ya, kid."

"You are out of options." Starfire's smirk turned feral. "What is your choice?"

"Alright, fine! Just turn off the light show!" Red X exhaled with relief as the burning sensation left his face and the starbolts winked out, no longer blinding him. "Sheesh, I like a girl with spunk...but maybe not _that_ much spunk."

"You are learning." Starfire smiled victoriously and crossed her legs as she hovered in midair in front of him. "Now, please begin with your story. How is it you came to know our friend?"

Red X sighed heavily as his shoulder slumped and he stared at the ground, a haunted look in his eyes. "If you want to know how I know Dick, then you'll have to know my whole story...which...isn't something I like to think about."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 _How long had it been since he became part of this group of misfits? A week? A month? A year? Even as young as he was, the boy knew that however long he'd been sequestered underground was too long. The only time he saw the world above was when his teacher, his king, allowed him to, but only when it was time for him to steal something for him._

 _'Pretties' he called them, anything that had to with money or jewelry, the king loved that stuff. In return for that, as well as running an entire underground society made up of kids just like him - boy, girls, it didn't matter, they were treated the same - their king gave them some food, meager clothing and a place to sleep...for what little time they were allowed to. The boy knew it was wrong what was happening, but what could he do to make things better? He was just a little kid and his king was so much bigger than him, and his alligators were so huge that they'd be able to gobble him up in one bite, as if he were just a little froggy snack._

 _That was what his king called him: Frog. Probably because he was the springiest and most agile of all the kids that had been taken in by the king. He always came back with the best stuff, and for that he was given a place of 'honor' so to speak. He got just a little bit more food than everyone else, and he was given a pair of sunglasses so that he would be able to see better whenever he went up to the surface, since his eyes - and everyone else's - had become so used to being underground that they were sensitive to light...so sensitive that the king had started using a bright light as a way of punishing them for breaking his most important rule._

 _No talking._

 _And so he didn't, no one did. Even the smallest whimper of pain from a bruised shin was enough to send the king into a tirade, and whoever made the sound would receive no medical treatment, just a visit into a tiny room with a bright light that would shine down on them, essentially blinding them. It was a miserable existence, but what other alternatives were there? They had all been abandoned, by parents who either didn't want them or had died in a tragic accident...like his...leaving them with nowhere else to go. It seemed like a good idea to go with him at the time, he promised shelter, food, and anything else a kid like him would need...and they got it, but not the way they expected._

 _They had to grow their own food, plowing and sowing their own soil, they had to sew their own clothes if it got ripped while they were out stealing, they even had to collect their own water that fell from the sewer grates. They had everything they needed, they also had everything they didn't need to go with it. Fun wasn't allowed, there was no time to play, there was only stealing and working._

 _Frog took it upon himself to try and help the other kids. Whatever extra food he got for being 'special,' he would share it with the others. If someone got hurt, he would try to cover their mouths and let them scream in pain so their king wouldn't hear them, and then do his best to wrap up the wound, no matter how small it was. It wasn't much, but it was all he could do, so he just kept doing it, trying to keep up hope for everyone even as they dove deeper and deeper into sadness. No one really smiled, there was no reason to be happy, the only smiles he saw were when he helped someone with something, and they would look at him with gratitude. At times, it was the only thing that kept him going, to be able to help his fellow underdwellers...that and the thrill of the chase. It was like playing tag with the police, they were never able to catch him, and it was the most fun he could ever have without being punished by his king. The prize was being able to help the others below, which made it all the more satisfying._

 _Then one day...he was caught._

 _The king had sent everyone to the surface to find new stuff, and since he had just gotten back from a previous trip to the surface, he was exhausted. He stopped to take a quick rest near the railroad tracks when he heard the sound of clattering cans, which meant that someone had come down into their territory. Every underdweller knew that their little alarm system was there, which meant it had to be someone who didn't belong. He had to escape, if he got caught, then the king would take it out on everyone else. He jumped down and ran towards one of their escape tunnels, an open grate which was only big enough for them to crawl through, no adult would be able to follow them unless they were really small. He crawled through and navigated through some of the old sewer pipes, a route he'd taken several times before and had it memorized. It would take him to an open pipe leading to the main exit, where he was sure he wouldn't be followed. As he came out of the pipe, he smiled and figured he'd given his follower the slip._

 _Then he turned around and looked up to see a man in a strange black costume staring at him, and his heart beat wildly in his chest in a panic. Never had he wanted to scream so badly before, but he knew what the scream would mean...punishment! Not just for him, but for everyone!_

 _"Just a second, son. I'm not going to hurt you."_

 _The words didn't register to the terrified young boy, all he could think about was the punishment that he would get if he got caught, and how much the others would suffer. The thrill was suddenly not so thrilling, now that he'd been cornered. He started to back away._

 _"Wait!"_

 _And then he fell down onto the train tracks below just as the sound of a train coming down the tunnel sounded. He didn't even get time to dust himself off before the light of the train coming to run him over blinded him and froze him in place...this was it, this was the end! He was going to die!_

 _And then the man in the bat costume jumped down and grabbed him, yanking him out of the way just before the train could kill him. He was officially confused, why had this stranger saved him? He was nothing but an underdweller, a poor boy who had nothing to give except for his ability to steal. Is that what this person wanted too? He saw a lot of masked people on the surface, and they all did really bad things, much worse things than stealing money. He must have wanted him to do the same thing! He silently tried to crawl away, but he was grabbed by the collar of his worn and torn shirt and then wrapped up by his waist as the costumed man pulled out a strange thing with a button on it, and a claw shot out and sent them flying into the air!_

 _The next thing he knew, they were on the surface, and he had to squint his eyes as he didn't have his sunglasses on. It was dark out, so it didn't hurt as much as if it were bright, but it still hurt. The man carried him into an alley, and then he spoke into his glove._

 _"Open!"_

 _What he saw next amazed the fear right out of him. The giant trash bin folded in on itself, and revealed a strange looking car that was hidden inside of it. The boy had never seen anything like it, it looked so cool! But then he looked up at the man again...the car looked like him! It must have been his car! He was then placed into the passenger seat and the man buckled his seatbelt for him...where was he being taken? And why? The man had saved his life so he guessed he didn't want to hurt him...but then what did he want?_

 _Part of him wanted to speak and ask...but speaking was against the rules...somehow his king would find out, he always found out, so he stayed quiet as the car started moving really fast through the streets, faster than he'd ever gone before. It was a fairly short drive up a mountain, and then he soon found himself feeling really sleepy...he didn't understand why, he wasn't that tired, not after all the excitement...but he just couldn't help himself...maybe he'd just close his eyes for a few minutes, wake up when the car stopped moving._

 _He dreamed while he slept...a dream of a woman, one who looked at him in a way he hadn't been looked at in a very long time...like she cared about him. She used a name, a name that seemed vaguely familiar. Jason. Jason. Who was Jason? Was it him? His name was Frog, though...no, Frog was the name the king gave him...was Jason his real name? Was that why it was familiar? If it was, he liked it a lot better than Frog. The woman then kissed him on his forehead, and he felt his body feel warm in a way he hadn't felt in such a long time. He decided he didn't want to wake up, everything was so warm, and soft, it was so nice...and then a bright light shined in his eyes, and he heard the cackle of the Sewer King, and he tried to scream out, but found he couldn't._

 _He opened his eyes and gasped silently, making the motions but not the sound, and he saw the brightness of the sun blinding him with an old man standing in front of the window. No! He wanted to go back to his dream! He wanted to feel the warmth and happiness again! He pulled the covers over his head to go back into the darkness, not even mentally registering that he actually had covers to pull over his head._

 _"Rise and shine, Master Leprechaun."_

 _Leprechaun? That was worse than Frog! No, his name was Jason! And he didn't want to get up!_

 _"Time to be up and about."_

 _He felt the man shaking him, not harshly like the king would have, rather gently in fact...he might have even liked the feeling, if he didn't want to stay asleep. This was the softest thing he'd ever slept on and he wasn't about to give it up, so he swung his fist up and that got the man to back off...for a minute at least, until he pulled the covers off him again. So he pulled them back._

 _And the man pulled them off._

 _And he pulled them back._

 _And the man pulled them off._

 _And he pulled them back. He'd do this as many times as he needed to, eventually the man would get bored, right?_

 _Apparently not. This time the old man pulled the covers off the bed completely, leaving him with nothing to shield his eyes from the sun, burning them. He squeezed his eyes shut and used a hand to block his eyes, leaning over the bed to feel around for his sunglasses, they had to be somewhere! They weren't in his clothes anymore! Didn't the man from last night realize he needed them?! Finally he felt them on the floor and he breathed a sigh of relief as he put them on his face and looked at the old man who had his hands on his hips._

 _"First a bath, don't you think?"_

 _A bath? Like, soap and water? No...then the king would realize he'd been captured when he got back! All the kids had the same sewer smell and if he smelled clean then everyone would be punished! This just couldn't happen!_

 _"Do you have a name?"_

 _He blinked behind his sunglasses for a moment and then smirked. Oh now the old man wanted to be friendly, huh? Well too late, he'd already called him a leprechaun, and he'd almost blinded him with the sun and woke him up from the most amazing dream he'd ever had. So he just nodded at the man and refused to open his mouth. He could answer, he just wasn't going to get the answer he wanted. Oh, and he was going to have to work to make him get in that bath, so he hopped off the bed and crawled under it._

 _"Well I hope you don't expect me to guess it."_

 _Sure, give it your best shot._

 _"Fritz?"_

 _Nope._

 _"Pete?"_

 _Nuh uh._

 _"Leon?"_

 _Pfft, no, what kind of name was that? The man got down on his knees to look at him, and so he quickly crawled over to get out from under the bed and stand at the other side, just out of reach._

 _"How about a little help? Can you talk?"_

 _Oh he could talk, he knew he could, but talking was a bad idea, so he refused, there was no way this old guy was gonna catch him...until he did. He was caught off guard when the man dove across the bed and scooped him up into his arms, laughing victoriously as he struggled to get free, but it was no use, this man wasn't as strong as the man from last night, but he was still stronger than him._

 _"You'll feel much better when you're clean!"_

 _What a liar! He was dooming him and the rest of the underdwellers! How he wished he could explain it to him! Before they got out the door, he spread out his limbs and resisted the man's push, keeping them from leaving the room, but then the man turned around to go the other way, so he gripped onto the doorframe with all his strength, desperately clinging for dear life...but it only lasted a few seconds before he was overpowered. That was it, there was nothing left. He was going to get a bath...he was going to be punished for sure now._

 _Well...if this was his fate, he might as well make the most of it. He only hoped their horrible king hadn't realized he was missing yet._

 _"Hey, Alfred, who's that?"_

 _The man, his name was Alfred apparently, stopped when the new voice was heard. It sounded like a kid's voice too, it was so weird hearing words from someone close to his age, all he'd heard for so long was his screaming king and the sounds of cries for help from whoever he stole from. He looked over and saw a boy that was a few inches taller than he was, dressed in a sweater and pants with clean socks...he wanted clean socks._

 _"Good morning, Master Dick, this is..." The man looked at him strangely. "Well to be quite frank, I'm not sure what his name is, he's been silent as a church mouse ever since Batman brought him here to be taken care of."_

 _Batman? Was that the name of the man who caught him last night? And the kid's name must have been Master Dick...what a weird name, Master Dick. But at least now he knew what to call everyone in his mind._

 _"Really?" The kid walked up to him and gave him a funny look, Master Dick was clearly older than he was, maybe two years or more. "Hi, I'm Dick, what's your name?" Oh, so his name was just Dick, then why did the Alfred man call him Master Dick? Was the kid his master? Like the king was his? Well either way, he wasn't about to talk for him either, so he just looked away and frowned at him. "What's the matter? Can't you talk?"_

 _He was getting so tired of everyone assuming he couldn't talk. He could talk, he'd even taught himself how to read with all the times he'd been on the surface. He had to be able to read in order to know where to find all the really good stuff to steal. But if he said anything, the punishment would be even worse. Even being missing wasn't as bad to the king as talking was._

 _"I'm afraid if he can talk, he doesn't want to, Master Dick. Batman hasn't told me much about what's been happening on this case, but I believe this young man is somehow involved."_

 _"Really? Well...let's see what we can do to help him!"_

 _"That's just what I'm on my way to do, he needs a bath and a good, hot meal."_

 _"Ooh, can we have some of your eggs, bacon and toast?! Only you can make something so simple so delicious!"_

 _Alfred laughed at that. "I think that would be just fine." Then Alfred took the boy to the tub, but all he could stay focused on was the kid who said he wanted to help him...and Alfred agreed to it...maybe this kid wasn't so bad after all? Maybe, just maybe..._

 _No, Jason said to himself, he couldn't afford to let his guard down. Even if they did want to help him, he couldn't take that chance, they may have been luring him into a trap. He'd let them do what they were going to do and then wait until the time was right to escape, with all the pretty stuff he could carry, maybe if he came back with some stuff he'd never brought back before, the king would show mercy and not punish him for being gone for so long. So he endured the bath, and ate the food that Alfred gave him and Dick...which was better than anything he'd had before in his life, so he scarfed it down with his hands after swiping a set of shiny utensils that Alfred put in front of him. Luckily he and Dick didn't notice._

 _Then after the food...which, admittedly, he begged for seconds as he had a feeling it would be a very long time - if ever - he ate like that again, Alfred had him and Dick help wash the dishes. "Now then, doesn't it feel good to be doing honest work?"_

 _"Work is work, Alfred." Dick laughed. "It's never fun."_

 _"It's all in how you look at it, Master...what? Wait!"_

 _"Hey, come back!"_

 _This was his chance. He had a ton of utensils in his clothes and a huge silver plate under his arm, this had to be enough to please the king...but unfortunately, Dick tackled him to the ground and he got caught again...how had he managed to catch him so easily? Jason wondered. It was almost like he flipped in the air and landed in front of him out of nowhere, he would have fought back more if he hadn't been so stunned._

 _"Well, isn't that charming?" Alfred loomed over the boy in disapproval._

 _"Don't be too hard on him, Alfred...maybe this is all he knows. Did Batman say where he found him?"_

 _"Near the sewers I believe he said."_

 _"Maybe he's just used to stealing to survive." Dick looked at the boy. "Hey, you know, you're safe here. This is Batman's house, there's no cooler place in the world! After we finish with our chores, maybe I can show you some of my favorite places to play!"_

 _Play? Jason stopped...his mind reeling at the thought. It had been such a long time since he played anything. What did kids even do to play anymore? Did they steal things? No...Dick didn't seem to like him trying to steal from them, so that didn't make sense. Maybe...just this once, he could let his guard down. He nodded, and Dick smiled at him and helped him up to his feet._

 _"Great! Okay, so the first thing we have to do is help Alfred pick up the mess we just made." Dick pointed at the trail of utensils Jason left behind, and he started picking them up, with Jason following his lead. "There ya go! After we finish helping Alfred with this, I'll show you one of my favorite things to do."_

 _As it turned out, one of his favorite things to do was slide down the stairs on the silver plate he'd tried to steal before, and what a rush it was! The speed, the bouncing around, it was almost like one of the rides he saw in the TVs in the store buildings he'd steal from! Of course, they almost ran into Alfred at the bottom of the stairs, and there was some serious apologizing to do afterwards. Jason flinched as he thought he was going to be screamed at and forced to look at a light, but all Alfred did was tell them that they needed to be careful and made them clean up their own mess...that was nothing compared to what he was used to._

 _Was this how things were supposed to be? Calm, simple, no fear of severe punishment? This was just a basic chore the king would have them do and they called this punishment? What a life Dick had...part of him wished he could stay forever, it would be so much easier...no more having to worry about what he'd be eating, punishment, maybe he could even...talk? Maybe...in time._

 _Later that day, Dick led Jason through the huge house and showed him around, and they eventually made it to a dark room with a lot of strange artifacts, and Jason took off his sunglasses, no longer needing them. "This is where Batman keeps a lot of the souvenirs he collects on his missions...you know," He whispered to Jason. "I'm actually Robin, Batman's sidekick...or at least I will be soon, I'll be going on my first mission in just a few days! Don't tell anyone though, okay? Promise?"_

 _Jason nodded. After the day of fun he had with Dick, messing with Alfred and having the time of his life, eating food that even the king would be jealous of, he'd do whatever Dick asked. Then something caught Jason's eye, it looked like a gun...it was so cool looking, long and with a wider piece in the front that was round and looked like a mouth. He imagined himself taking shots, even aiming it at the door...which Alfred just walked through. "Oh dear, that is EXTREMELY dangerous! You must put it down before you hurt someone!"_

 _"Whoa!" Dick suddenly shouted, and Jason turned around in confusion, the gun now aiming at him. "Put that back, kid, Batman doesn't like people messing with those!"_

 _"No, I don't." Jason suddenly felt the gun being ripped from his hands, and he looked up to see the costumed man - Batman - standing over him with a frown on his face. "Children and guns do not mix, ever!" He handed the gun to Alfred. "It wasn't loaded..." Then he turned back to Jason with his hands on his hips. "But it could've been!"_

 _"Sorry, Batman...it was my fault...I let him come in here, I wanted to show him all the cool stuff."_

 _Jason looked back in shock...Dick was taking the blame for him? No one had ever done that before, not even his fellow underdwellers, he was always coming to their rescue, not the other way around._

 _"We'll discuss it later, but now playtime's over." Batman looked down at the young boy. "I need your help." Jason pointed at himself with his thumb. "Yes, your help. Your friends have been trapped underground for far too long, and it's time they were treated like normal people, just like us. I'm going to rescue them, but I need you to take me there."_

 _This had to be another dream...finally, a chance to do something to make things better for his friends! If the Batman could save them, maybe they could all eat and have fun like he did today! This was their best chance...and he was going to take it. Jason nodded, and Batman gave him a gentle nudge towards the door._

 _"Wait, Batman! Let me go with you!"_

 _Batman turned to look over his shoulder and narrow his eyes at the boy. "No, Dick. You're not ready yet...and even if you were, for this mission...I don't want you to see what's going on...no one should ever have to see what I'm about to."_

 _Dick slumped his shoulders and gave a melancholy sigh, then he looked back up and walked over to Jason, holding out his hand for him to shake it. "Well, it was nice meeting you, and I had a great time playing with you today, it was nice to have someone else to do things with for once."_

 _Jason hesitated, but then he grabbed Dick's hand, and he shook it, a smile spreading across his face as he did so._

 _"Before you leave...I really wanna know...what's your name?"_

 _He wanted him to talk...his king...no, not his king, the monster pretending to be a king. Soon, thanks to Batman, they would be free, so what did he have to lose anymore? Dick had been the best friend he'd ever had...he deserved to know. He smiled and for the first time in what felt like forever, he opened his mouth with the intent of making sound. "Frog..." He shook his head. "No...my name is Jason."_

 _Dick's eyes lit up with joy, and Jason looked around to see Alfred watching with shock, and even the Batman had a small smile on his face. "Well," Dick said gleefully as he shook his hand again. "It was nice meeting you, Jason! Hope we see each other again someday!"_

 _"Me too!"_

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"After that, I took Batman to the sewers and he came charging in to take down the Sewer King's stupid alligator army, and then he kicked the Sewer King's butt. I even got a chance to help, swinging from a rope to snag one of the other kids that the son of a you know what tried to keep as a hostage. Then the police came and pulled us all out of the sewers...I still remember that day, for once the light represented something other than punishment...it gave me a reason to smile."

The Titans said nothing for several moments, their mouths just hanging open as they tried to process what they'd just been told. At some point during the story, Batgirl and Alfred had joined them, and the older man was the only who didn't seem surprised by the tale, instead he simply had a sorrowful expression on his aged face. "That might just be one of the saddest stories I've ever heard." Beast Boy looked down at his hands, clenching his fists as anger began to bubble up in him. "Dude...that could have been _me!_ After I lost _my_ parents...I...I didn't..."

"Don't think about it, Beast Boy." Raven reached out and placed a hand on her heavily breathing teammate's shoulder. "You've done amazing things, and you will continue to do so. Dwelling on what might have been will only lead to more pain, focus on the now, and the future you still have ahead of you, with us, your friends."

"Yeah..." The green boy took a deep breath and exhaled it shakily, squashing the surge of despair that had been building in his chest and throat. "Thanks, Rae, I needed that."

 _"G'tuverth_ Alfred," Starfire said softly as she turned to face the older man, a stricken expression marring her normally bright features. "You are in the story that Jason claims as truth...is what he is saying accurate?"

"Well, I can't speak for the experiences in the sewers, but I can absolutely verify everything that happened here at Wayne Manor." Alfred shook his head and sighed. "It truly saddens me to see that the young man threw away a second chance at life so easily."

"Don't get ahead of yourself, Alfie," Jason snarked. "It's not as simple as that."

Starfire turned back to Jason. "Then why did you return to a life of crime if you were no longer under the control of that _zorkmorking clorbag?"_

"I assume that was some kind of alien curse word, but I digress..." Jason huffed and glared at the Titans. "I don't have a sob story for you for that one, if I tried to make one up, I'm sure your empathic friend here would be able to call me out on it." He gestured his head towards Raven. "The best explanation I can give you is that I missed the thrill of the chase. I was given a DNA test to find out what my whole name was, and it turned out my dream was right. My name was Jason, Jason Todd, and my parents had been killed by one of Gotham's costumed clowns while they were out and about. I never let myself look to see who did it because I honestly didn't wanna know. I got placed into a foster home - hey, that's getting kinda tight!"

"Sorry." Raven loosened the restraint, the mention of a foster home had spiked her emotions.

"Anyway...the little old lady who took care of me did her best, taught me how to read better and the basic rules of society I had to follow...but I missed the thrill, the excitement of being on the run. Stealing had become so natural and exciting that I couldn't bring myself to stop, so one day I just never went back. I can only imagine that the lady at the home didn't miss me that much, I never heard any news of a search going on." He shrugged. "It's whatever, I'm used to people not caring about what happens to me. So I went back to old habits, stealing to survive, only this time I was only looking out for myself, not a hundred other kids, so it became easier, I could focus more on what _I_ wanted...then when I found out Dick had moved to Jump City and had a crazy super suit that let him do things that not even Batman could do? Well...I had to see it for myself. I stowed away on a plane headed for Jump, took a nap and when I woke up, it was time to find Dick."

"And you broke into the safe and stole the Red X suit, and the rest is history."

"Yep." Jason nodded at Cyborg. "Wasn't hard to guess that Dick had made the code his own name, no one knew him as Dick Grayson in Jump City, and even then I had to do a little bit of research, that's what led me to realize Bruce Wayne was Batman, who else could it be? You all were gone, no idea where you went, so all I had to do was break into the door on the roof of your tower, grab and dash with the suit and figure out how it worked. Didn't take me long, the suit's user-friendly...if a little buggy. Helped me steal bigger and better things, take on whackos from both sides of the morality spectrum, add in a little self-taught martial artistry, and, not to brag or anything, I was a force to be reckoned with...of course, now I'm just a common crook again, a busted one at that. At least I'll probably be tried as a minor, I'm not sixteen just yet, and I never did anything so horrible that it would warrant the state trying me as an adult. So I'll get sent to juvie or something and taught the error of my ways or some other nonsense."

"You do not have any of the regrets?"

"I've got plenty of regrets, cutie." Jason scoffed. "But I can't play against type. Being a thief's been hardwired into me by that scumbag sewer rat, and the adrenaline rush is addictive. I can't live a normal life, it's too boring."

Starfire bit her bottom lip as she pondered something for a moment. "Friends," She finally said, grabbing the group's attention. "Please keep an eye on friend Jason for me, I wish to take care of something important." She turned to Alfred. _"G'tuverth_ Alfred, may I be excused to go to my room?"

"Why, of course, Mistress Starfire, you don't need my permission, the manor is at your disposal."

"All the same, I thank you." She bowed briefly and flew out of the room, her heart heavy with grief for the captured boy. "You poor thing, no _n'keaga,_ no _t'beaga,_ not even a true _k'norfka_ to teach you right from wrong." She clenched at her chest with her head lowered and eyes closed in a moment of silence, then her head shot back up and her eyes opened, blazing with determination. "He deserves a second chance just as much as anyone else, I must speak with Richard."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

After parking the Batmobile a far enough distance away that it wouldn't be spotted by their targets, Batman and Robin made their way to the rooftops as they closed in on Joker's latest hideaway. "So how'd you know the Joker would end up here, Batman? Scoped the place out and put it on your 'possible hideout' list?"

"Always have to try and be two steps ahead of him...if he gets too far into his plans, people die, there's no ifs, ands, or buts about it." Batman leaped onto the next roof with Robin doing the same right behind him. "Some of Joker's cronies were seen setting up this warehouse for whenever he made his next escape."

Robin sighed and shook his head. "Have you ever considered upping the security over there at Arkham? It should _not_ be a revolving door for criminals who don't even have super strength to break through walls like Cinderblock back in Jump. I'm not saying to put that lunatic Lyle Bolton back in charge or anything, but there's gotta be something you can do."

"Bruce Wayne has done all he can to increase the level of security at Arkham Asylum, as well as the overall care given to the inmates...the rest is up to the state to approve the proposed changes." Batman knelt down to peek through the skylight of the warehouse. "Believe me, Robin...if it were up to me, the Joker would be tried and convicted like the monster he is...but I'm not the one who makes the rules, I just help enforce them, no matter how frustrating it is to have to hunt down this homicidal lunatic every other week."

"I suppose that's your excuse for interrogating suspects in front of their families."

Batman narrowed his eyes but didn't look at his former partner, choosing to ignore the jab. Then a moment later, the Joker himself came into view, and the Dark Knight gritted his teeth as the clown laughed maniacally below. "There he is."

Robin joined him, and the surge of anger that came with seeing the Clown Prince of Crime rushed through his veins, making his blood run hot. "Still as crazy as ever I see." He turned to glance at Batman. "Your city, your call, how do you wanna do this?"

"Standard procedure; check for hostages, and barring that, close in from both sides and take him down."

"Sounds simple enough, alright then, let's get going. You gonna call Commissioner Gordon so he can round up the thugs after?" As soon as he got a nod, Robin split off from Batman, checking to make sure his landing spot was clear before leaping from the roof. Then he carefully peeked through a window to check for guards, and after seeing none, he went over to the door and slowly opened it, the door making a slight creak as it did so. He quickly dove behind a pile of crates to ensure no one would see him if they came to investigate the noise, but after a minute or so, no one came and so he pressed forward, though something was putting him on edge. "Something seems wrong about this...where are all the guards?"

"An excellent question, bird boy!"

Robin's eyes widened at the all-too familiar voice, and he immediately leaped into the air to avoid a barrage of bullets that sped by the spot he'd just been standing in, then he unloaded a handful of explosive pellets, creating a plume of smoke that hid him from view, allowing him to quickly incapacitate the guards before they had a chance to regain their bearings and fire at him again. Then once the smoke cleared, he saw Joker standing in the middle of the room with a big grin on his face...and Batman standing at the other end of the room. "Looks like I got my answer, huh, Joker?"

"Pish posh," The pale man replied flippantly with a dismissive wave. "Is that any way to celebrate a long overdue reunion? You know, ever since you left, ol' Batsy's been ornerier than a bear with a bee in its sorry rear. It's just no fun when the audience doesn't react, you know."

"It's over, Joker." Batman stepped up. "We're taking you back to Arkham, _before_ you get a chance to resupply."

"Wh-h-hat?" The Joker snickered. "You think I actually _care_ about these second-hand party favors?" He held up one of the squirting flowers and then dropped it onto the ground, unceremoniously crushing it under the sole of his shoe. "The only gag _that_ could trigger is my gag reflex, yuck! No, there's nothing quite like a Joker original, for example..." The Joker suddenly seemed to disappear in a puff of sickly-green smoke, and both Robin and Batman covered their faces with their capes in case it was laced with Joker venom. "Made ya look!" Then the Joker hurried out of the warehouse, cackling like the madman that he was. "How about a game of hide and seek to celebrate the boy blunder's return?! See if you can find me _in time!"_

As the cackle echoed throughout the warehouse and slowly faded as Joker made his escape, both Batman and Robin growled in frustration as the sound of sirens filled their ears, and red and blue flashing lights shined through the windows. "What was the point of this? How'd Joker even know I was in town?"

"That could have been the whole joke, get you on edge and then show that there was nothing to it as a welcome back gift. The only thing missing was a pie in the face."

Robin gave Batman a deadpan look. "The Joker? With no point? Even his dumbest schemes had a point, I seem to recall him wanting to win a comedy competition just for the sake of being Gotham's best comic."

"Glad to see you're still on top of your game." Batman smirked for a moment before it faded again, just as Commissioner Gordon and Detective Harvey Bullock walked in the door. "Commissioner."

"Oh great, the bat's brat's back."

Robin's nose scrunched in distaste. "Nice to see _you_ again too, Bullock. Still nursing that bruised ego?"

"Mouthy as ever." Bullock grumbled as he crossed his arms over his stocky frame.

Commissioner Gordon, however, was much more cordial as he fixed Robin with a warm smile. "Welcome back to Gotham, Robin." He said as he held his hand out for Robin to shake it, which he did. "I've heard all about the great things you're doing with your team across the country, you plan on staying long?"

"It depends..." Robin gave Gordon a cryptic smile, slightly tilting his head towards Batman before giving the older man his full attention. "How've things been here while I've been away?"

"Wish I could say things were better, but I'd be lying." Gordon sighed and shook his head, the exhaustion appearing on his features just from discussing it. "Batman and Batgirl have been doing what they can, but the crime rate has been as high as ever. As a matter of fact, we have a bust planned very soon to capture Jimmy 'The Jazzman' Peake, who's been holed up in a warehouse selling drugs...and just a few days ago, Batman captured the Penguin attempting to smuggle a flock of endangered and protected tropical birds into Gotham, no doubt for his personal collection."

"So, sadly, things haven't been boring."

"No, they most certainly haven't." Gordon looked around the warehouse as his officers rounded up the last of Joker's unconscious gang. "I take it Joker and Harley got away?"

"Joker, yes. But I haven't seen Harley yet." Batman spoke up. "It's possible that she's waiting for him at another potential hideout, the Joker seems to want to play some _games_ in honor of Robin's return."

"Well...keep me informed when you find him, hopefully he doesn't have any murderous detours planned."

"Hopefully." Batman pulled out a grappling hook just as Robin did the same, and the two leaped through an opening in the roof, leaving the police to clean up the mess. "We have to find Joker before he pulls whatever he's planning...he put emphasis on the words 'in time,' that's probably a clue, which means he _wants_ us to find him."

"Pretty Riddler of him, don't ya think?" Robin snorted. "Mind if I play a hunch? I bet he's at the old clock tower where you fought the Clock King the first time."

"Makes sense." Batman nodded. "If he wants us to find him, he wouldn't make it too difficult for us to figure it out. Let's check it out."

"You know, I could call Starfire or Raven and they could get us there without the Joker seeing us coming. Star can fly us up there and Raven can teleport."

Batman fixed him with a glare. "I'd prefer to keep them out of this if I can help it. They're not used to the Joker's madness, his greatest strength is his unpredictability. As powerful as your teammates are, all it would take is one moment off guard, and they could be dead."

"That's the risk we run as heroes, Batman." Robin said firmly as he glared right back at him. "The Titans can handle themselves, and if the Joker really _has_ planned this all out, we might need the backup."

"I'll call Batgirl if I feel she's needed, but for right now, I want this to be just you and me. The best way we can keep Joker in some semblance of control is to not catch him off guard. If we surprise him, he's liable to trigger whatever he's got planned without preamble."

Robin's frown grew as he stalked past Batman and prepared a grappling hook. "I hate it when you make sense."

Batman smirked again as he saw his ward swing off into the night, and he followed along closely until they eventually reached the old clock tower. It had been quite a long time since Batman had visited here, not since Temple Fugate - the Clock King - had attempted to exact his twisted revenge on the mayor of Gotham City, Hamilton Hill, for inadvertently causing him to be late for a court date some seven years earlier. More time had passed since then, and Fugate had been placed into Stonegate Penitentiary after yet another run-in with the dynamic duo, where he hadn't been heard from since. "We'll sneak in through the openings behind the hands of the clock, and this time we'll go in together."

"Whatever." They fired their grappling hooks again, and they reeled themselves in to grab onto the bottom of the doorway, leading into the darkness created by the clock tower's lack of exposure to the moonlight. "Starfire or Cyborg would come in handy right about now, I can't see a thing." Robin grabbed his flashlight and shined it into the darkness just as Batman did the same, scanning the clock's inner workings for any sign of the Joker or his plan. "Weird, it's not like he's got a lot of places to hide."

"Keep looking, there must be something we're missing." Batman whispered. "Split up, but keep in sight, and keep your communicator on channel seven."

Robin rolled his eyes and again split off from Batman, his irritation with the Dark Knight already building up again after he vetoed the suggestion to call in his friends. Trust issues again, he figured, like the Titans didn't already face off against psychopaths on a regular basis, what made the Joker any different other than he preferred actual bullets? Heck, Mumbo Jumbo's puzzles were harder to solve than the Joker's, and that was just because Mumbo had the advantage of having magic on his side; no way Joker would ever be seen pulling hippos out of his pockets. As he slowly surveyed the area with his flashlight, his eyes widened in horror when he momentarily caught a glimpse of something he never expected. "Slade?!" He flashed the light again, and this time there was nothing there.

"Robin, what's the matter?"

Batman's voice snapped him out of his brief moment of paralysis. "Nothing," He huffed. "I thought I saw something, _someone,_ but I was wrong."

"What was it?"

Robin growled lowly in his throat, the interrogation fraying his nerves even further. His heart was already beating wildly, not since his incident with Slade's hallucination dust had he felt so...scared, on edge. "I thought I saw Slade..." He snarled the name out like a curse. "But that's impossible, Slade's been hiding out in Jump City somewhere, I've been keeping an eye out for him ever since he resurfaced nearly a year ago, and Titans Tower has an alarm set solely for even the slightest trace of him; the Titans Europe were instructed to call in immediately if it went off...I must be seeing things."

"Stay with me, Robin." Batman said calmly. "Maybe this is part of Joker's game, watching you squirm."

"And what's wrong with that?" Suddenly the room was filled with light, and Batman looked up to see the Joker with his usual grin, standing there with a strangely shaped machine. "It's been a long time since I saw your poor little birdy sweat in places he shouldn't even have."

Batman got into a fighting stance. "Where's Harley, Joker? Left her behind when you escaped again? Haven't you learned that never goes over well for you when you go back?"

"Alas," The Joker hummed dramatically with the back of his hand on his forehead. "My dear, sweet Harley Quinn was not gifted with the same get out of jail free card I was given. But I'd be a fool not to take advantage of it all the same, especially since I have _this_ nifty little big trinket as a housewarming present, it's sure to _immortalize_ my-"

"Joker!" Before the clown could even blink, Robin appeared out of nowhere, and the Boy Wonder slammed his fist into Joker's face, knocking him to the ground and drawing blood.

"You interrupted my punchline!" Then Robin punched him again, and the Joker soon found himself being lifted up by the lapels of his purple suit, staring into the fiery glare of a very angry sidekick. "Well well, seems I've tweaked a nerve or two."

"Where did you get it, Joker?"

"Get it?" The Joker asked dumbly. "Get what?"

Robin slammed the clown against the railing, then got right into his face, roaring at the top of his lungs. "Where did you get your hands on a Chronoton Detonator?!"

"Well I _could_ tell you, but where's the fun in that? Besides, I'm rather enjoying watching your transformation into a mini-Batman, it's so satisfying to know I've left such a lasting impact on the youth of today!" The Joker cackled maniacally, and Robin dropped him to the ground in frustration even as he continued to laugh.

"I'm nothing like Batman!"

"Oh no? You've got that angry scowl down pat, are you sure you aren't his son or something? The resemblance is-"

He was cut off by a kick to the face, and this time that got the Joker to stop laughing. "That's strike two, birdbrain." He snarled fiercely as he pulled a controller out from his coat pocket. "Keep interrupting my punchlines like that and all of Gotham City turns into a permanent freeze frame."

Robin stopped in his tracks, his eyes wide in horror as he realized his mistake...the Joker wasn't Slade. Slade had a purpose in mind, a goal...the Joker would do whatever he wanted just because he thought he would get a sick laugh out of it, including commit suicide as long as everyone else went down with him. He needed to change tactics, fast, at least until Batman had a chance to make a move. "You know what, you're right, Joker."

"What?"

"You're right, being away from Gotham has let me become a little too much like Batman, I've forgotten what it's like to laugh...and I remember that there was nothing more I liked watching than seeing you get beat by Batman over and over and over and over-" Robin was cut off by the Joker slapping him suddenly across the face, and he smirked, now Joker's mind and hand was off the button. "What's the matter, Joker? I thought you _wanted_ to make people laugh?"

"You think you're getting a buzz from _this?_ You'll _love_ this one!"

Robin thought fast, dodging the swing of Joker's hand which now had one of his signature joy-buzzers on it...that would hurt if he got hit by it, the electrocution was no joke. "I've been gone for almost three years and you _still_ can't move fast enough to hit me! Is this what happens when you get as old and tired as your act?"

The Joker snarled and swung again, but this time he suddenly got wrapped up by a set of bolas from behind, which effectively immobilized him and caused him to drop the controller for the detonator. He hopped a couple times to turn around, and saw none other than Batman staring him down with a neutral gaze. "This isn't over yet, Batsy!" Joker grinned evilly and pressed the button on his own joy-buzzer...and the Chronoton Detonator suddenly whirred to life, much to the horror of the pair of heroes. "Just when you thought you'd stopped me in time!" Joker turned to grin at Robin. "I guess this old clown's act still has a few surprises after all!"

Robin rushed past the cackling clown and the Dark Knight to get a closer look at the bomb...the last time he'd seen one of these, it turned out to be a decoy meant to infect the Titans with nanoscopic probes that would trigger every pain receptor in their bodies at the press of a button, as well as slowly killing them. After a few moments, Robin got back up to look grimly at Batman. "This is no decoy, Batman...this is real...we have just a few minutes before Gotham is frozen in time...forever."


	5. Chapter 5

**And here we are again! When we last left off, the Joker had just activated a Chronoton Detonator, so what will Batman and Robin to fix this mess? The answer may surprise you. Now, anon review!**

 **vi: As always, I'm glad you're enjoying it! Yep, plenty of references and plenty of character moments. More on the way!**

 **That's all for now, I'd like to thank each and every one of you who have reviewed so far, it always brings a smile on my face to see a new one. Hopefully this will prompt you to want to leave a new one? Let's find out. I own nothing except the story.**

* * *

How much time did they have before the bomb went off? Five minutes? One minute? 30 seconds? Robin didn't know, nor could he seem to gather the necessary focus to think about a potential course of action; the large, blinking device flooded his mind with flashbacks of the last time he'd been involved with something like this...a decoy, his friends unaware of what Slade had infected them with, the suffering they'd been put through at his hands, their bodies glowing a sickly orange as the nanoscopic probes tore them apart from the inside out...tears streaming down Starfire's face as she lifted her head up from her agony to look at him...the images burned into his memory like a branding iron, a scar that would never fade for as long as he lived.

Robin felt the urge to rip the detonator apart with his bare hands, his heart racing at the very sight of it...then when Batman kneeled down to examine the device, he snapped out of his trance and was able to refocus. "Do you have any idea what you're doing with that?"

"A little, but not enough to disarm it." Batman admitted. "But I might be able to offer an alternative solution for the time being." Batman reached into his utility belt, which Robin couldn't see as he was standing behind him.

"I can call Raven and Cyborg, she'll have him here in a matter of seconds and he can disarm it!"

"No need," Batman said shortly as he attached a small device to the detonator, then he pressed a button, and then a strobing pillar of light enveloped the bomb, and after a few seconds, the Dark Knight got back to his feet and faced Robin. "That should buy me the necessary time I need to learn how to disarm the detonator properly. In the meantime, we'll take the Joker back to Arkham and inform Commissioner Gordon that the situation is under control for the moment."

Robin almost protested, the mental image of Cyborg easily being able to disarm the detonator still floating in his mind...but curiosity won out as the Boy Wonder went over to look at exactly what Batman had done. "Hey...wait a second...that gadget looks awfully familiar..."

"We'll discuss it after we drop off the Joker."

"Aww," Joker pouted as he was lifted onto his feet. "I can keep a secret! C'mon, what's the inside scoop? Don't leave me hangin', Bats!"

The Joker speaking up again diverted Robin's attention. "Hold on, Batman...I need some answers first!" Robin stalked over to get right into Joker's face, grabbing the clown by his lapels while Batman kept him steady. "Alright, Joker...who gave you the detonator? Who broke you out of Arkham?!"

"Oooh!" Joker giggled maniacally in response. "Mister brooding and serious is back! I knew you wouldn't disappoint me, Boy Blunder!"

"Talk!"

"Nope, these lips are zipped!"

"Robin," Batman said sternly. "Don't worry, I'll get the answers you're looking for one way or another. For now, let's focus on putting the Joker back in his cell. It's been a long night."

Robin's fists clenched tightly and he walked away briskly, jaw set and eyes blazing. There was no way the Joker should have been able to get his hands on a Chronoton Detonator, not only was that not the clown's style, he didn't have the proper connections. None of Batman's known rogues gallery had the necessary knowhow in quantum temporal theory with the possible exception of Temple Fugate...but, again, he was still in prison...the only option that floated around his mind was the impossible one. Slade in Gotham? No way. He would've been informed if something had come up, and Batman knew every inch of Gotham and knew when and where villains were holed up before they even made a move. "I need some sleep, the stress of Gotham is getting to me." He mumbled to himself as he rubbed his eyes with his thumb and forefinger. Then once he decided he'd gotten out of earshot, he pulled out his communicator. "Star, you there?"

It took a few moments for the telltale crackle of the transmission coming to life, and then the Tamaranean's voice chimed through. _"I am here, Robin. Is everything alright?"_

"For the moment, yeah. How're things over there?"

 _"They are...not bad."_

Robin raised an eyebrow. "That didn't sound very convincing."

 _"It is complicated...are you with the Batman at this current moment?"_

Robin looked over his shoulder to see Batman still out of earshot as they walked the Joker down the staircase of the clock tower, the clown attempting to get Batman to exchange banter with him in futility. "Yeah, but he can't hear me right now, we're about to take the Joker back to Arkham Asylum...he had a Chronoton Detonator."

Starfire gasped over the line. _"Has it been disarmed?! Shall I assemble the others?!"_

"Relax, Star...like I said, everything's alright for the moment. Personally I'd prefer to have Cyborg come and disarm it, but I have to play things Batman's way for now...and he had a different idea in mind. He's probably going to come back later and do it himself."

 _"But...why would he not want friend Cyborg to-"_

"I know, Star. But that's just the way Batman is." Robin sighed and shook his head before lowering his voice further. "Are the others with you right now?"

 _"I am alone in my room. Why do you ask?"_

"I just..." Robin briefly looked over his shoulder again to check for Batman, and mentally noted that they were almost out of stairs. "I'm trying my best to keep my promise to you...about making peace with Batman. But it hasn't been easy, he's still being as stubborn as ever...and I suspect he doesn't trust us."

 _"You are referring to his unwillingness to allow friend Cyborg to disarm the detonator."_ It wasn't a question.

"Yeah." Once he reached the bottom of the steps, he jogged outside to gain a little more ground on Batman, then raised the communicator to his mouth. "I dunno how I'm gonna get through this, Star...it's the same story all over again."

 _"You must persevere, my love. There will always be the moments of conflict, even you and I are not so in sync that we never have our disagreements."_

"That's different. At least when it's you and me, we actually _want_ to resolve the problem. Batman just keeps finding ways to debunk all my arguments, invalidating the way I feel about this whole thing." He then heard the sound of Batman's boots and Joker's shoes walking on the pavement, and he sighed as he looked into the communicator longingly at the image of his girlfriend. "I gotta go, we'll be back soon, keep an eye on the prisoner."

 _"We are doing so. But when you return, there is something regarding the Red X that I must speak to you about."_

"Something happen?"

 _"Nothing bad...though I have become...more aware of the situation in a manner of speaking."_

Robin raised his eyebrow again. "We'll talk when I get back, seeya, Star."

 _"K'lu Malth'era, d'anthe l'ani."_

His eyes softened and he smiled. "Same to you, Star." He put his communicator away just as the Batmobile drove up, following the signal that Batman had sent for it. "We ready to head to Arkham?"

"Well, quite frankly I'd prefer stopping to get a happy meal." That response prompted Batman to give the Joker a hard shove into the backseat of the car. "Spoilsport."

Batman again ignored the clown and put up a privacy wall between the backseat and the front seats as he started the car. Seconds later, the thrusters roared to life and the Batmobile's tires screeched across the pavement. It took a few minutes before anyone spoke. "Talking to Starfire I assume?"

Robin flinched and narrowed his eyes. "Yeah, what about it?"

"You and her are clearly quite...close, given that display you gave when I called you."

"I knew this was coming." The Boy Wonder shook his head in exasperation before glaring at his mentor. "Look, Batman, just because _you_ haven't had any luck in _your_ love life doesn't mean that _I_ have to be alone. She's made me a better person, she helps me see things in ways I wouldn't be able to on my own...and she's really freaking smart to boot."

"Robin, relax." Batman briefly smirked at Robin, much to the young man's shock as his eyes widened behind his mask. "Contrary to what you may believe, I don't actually want you to end up being a lonely old man like me." He looked towards the road, his smile fading as he continued. "I always wanted better for you, Robin. I believe you aren't destined to live the same life as me. I saw what that girl did for you, the day of the anniversary of your parents' death." Batman couldn't help but see how Robin slumped at the mention of that dreadful day. "I used to think I knew you better than anyone...clearly I was wrong. In that one moment, I saw just how much that alien cares for you...you should make sure you treat her right...a truly devoted woman is not easy to come by. I should know."

Robin's jaw went slack, his mind blank as it tried to process what he'd just been told. He'd expected a confrontation, to have to justify his relationship with Starfire...and Batman had subverted all his expectations. Not only did he seem to approve...he sounded like he was encouraging him. "Batman...I...I don't know what to say..."

"Don't say anything." Batman tightened his grip on the steering wheel, so slightly that a non-trained eye would have missed it...but Robin caught it. "This isn't easy for me, Robin. I'm much more a man of action than words, especially words like this...all I would ask is that you don't let her distract you from the mission. Be her teammate, her leader first, and her significant other second."

Robin grimaced a bit. "She won't make me make that decision. She's just as committed to being a hero as we are, and she's not afraid to call me out on things when I've made a mistake..." His eyes softened as a regretful frown spread across his face. "If it weren't for her...I might _still_ be in Slade's hands."

"No, you wouldn't have been."

Robin raised an eyebrow. "Batman, I'm sure you know everything that happened, if it hadn't been for my friends-"

"I know. You stole from a WayneTech building, I knew exactly what was happening as soon as I got the report." Robin again noticed the tightening up of Batman's body, like there was barely contained rage building inside him. "It was no coincidence that Deathstroke had you steal from one of _my_ buildings. He was sending a message... _laying claim_ to you."

"Deathstroke?"

"Slade Wilson's former alias. Before he turned his attention to world domination and _apparently_ kidnapping kids to be his apprentice, Deathstroke the Terminator was the world's deadliest and most expensive assassin; in some regards he's superhuman, boasting enhanced mental capacities, strength and even a low-level healing factor." Batman glanced over in his peripheral vision and saw Robin trying to piece together everything in his mind. "Don't feel bad for not figuring all that out, it took me weeks to dig up the information, he covered his tracks extremely well, and you were a little busy with other things."

"I guess..." Robin mumbled. "I was lucky my team came for me when they did."

"You were. But you did what you had to do to protect them, and you didn't crack under the pressure...lesser men would have given in easily."

"That's a compliment I'll take, thanks."

"But I want you to know something, Robin..." Batman remained silent for a few seconds as the old, dilapidated sign of Arkham Asylum came into view. "If your team hadn't come for you... _I_ would have..." He stopped the car at the gate, turning his head to look at the Boy Wonder, mask to mask. _"No one_ takes my Robin away from me, whether he knows who I am under the cowl or not."

Robin would've been touched...if he hadn't gone pale from the second part of that sentence. "Slade...he..."

"He knows. As I said, stealing from WayneTech wasn't about the thermal blaster, it was a message to _me,_ to stay out of it and not come to save you, or else."

"But...if Slade knows who we are, then-"

"He won't do anything with that knowledge, it's too valuable to let just anyone have it." Batman smirked. "Besides, I sent him a little message of my own once I knew you were safe."

"You did?" Robin tilted his head. "What'd you do?"

"Let's just say that Slade wouldn't want his past as Deathstroke to come out into the open. Considering he's a result of a government experiment, he'd have the entirety of the United States military after him to bring him down if the news ever came out that Slade, the man who terrorizes Jump City and the Teen Titans on a regular basis, is actually one of their own." Batman's smirk grew as he drove through the gates of Arkham Asylum. "He's good, _really_ good, but not even _he_ can defeat the entire U.S. military on his own."

"So it's a stalemate." Robin actually found himself smiling genuinely for the first time that night. "You know what...for all the stuff I'm still frustrated with you over, and as weird as this may sound coming from me...I'm gonna say it anyway...thanks, Batman. For everything."

Then, again to Robin's complete surprise, Batman graced him with something he hadn't seen in a very, very long time. "Like I said, _no one_ takes my Robin away from me and gets away with it." The Dark Knight said with perhaps the brightest smile Robin had ever seen on his face. "Come on, it's time we brought our _guest_ to his room."

Robin smirked. "I'm sure it's waiting for him, just the way he left it." The Boy Wonder hopped out of the car just as Batman did, and the two yanked him out of the backseat and shoved a piece of duct tape on his mouth to keep the clown from making any more snarky remarks. "You know what? This is the funniest I've ever seen the Joker."

"I must admit, it makes for an amusing sight."

The Joker just glared at them both with a murderous sheen in his crazed eyes, unable to respond as he was dragged through the all-too familiar halls of Arkham Asylum.

"So," Robin said conversationally. "You had one of Dr. Wakati's old time-slowing devices on you, huh?"

Batman smirked. "Well, after we dropped the Clock King off at prison, I had to return the device to Dr. Wakati. But I was able to convince him to let me keep one in the event that it was ever needed for an emergency like this...so..."

* * *

As soon as she got off the communicator with Robin, Starfire had decided to close her eyes for a while, she too had been fatigued from the trip, not to mention the anxiety from the media blitz she'd undergone. Robin had shocked her when he'd gone on record and stated that they were in a relationship...it deeply moved her when he did, and when he kissed her, it took everything in her power not to skyrocket right through the roof. She'd fully expected him to say they were just friends, in order to avoid any potential conflict with the Batman, but instead he embraced their feelings for each other, taking pride in their connection rather than concealing it. Never had she been prouder of him, or more flattered, and it made a smile spread across her face just thinking about it.

Finally snuggling into the plush pillows, Starfire closed her eyes and dozed off for a little while. The bed was extremely comfortable, and it didn't take her long to fall into a light sleep. When she opened them back up, she looked at the clock and noticed that an hour had passed, and there was still no sign that Robin had returned as he would have surely sought her out. The girl sighed and decided to make her way back to the library where her friends were supposed to be. Truly, she could sympathize with her boyfriend. No one knew more than her how stubborn he could be, and it was Batman whom he learned that behavior from. It was very easy to fall back into old habits, and in her limited time with Robin's _k'norfka,_ she could understand why he seemed to hold such resentment for him. She hoped with all her heart that perhaps they would find a way to mend their relationship before they returned home...after all, the very thought of being at odds with Galfore, who raised her just as the Batman raised her Robin, shook her to her very core. It just wasn't healthy to be carrying around such a burden.

Once she reached the library, she saw Raven once again reading her book, only now she had apparently allowed Jason to move his arms enough so that he too could read something, as he also had a book in front of his face. The Tamaranean smiled at the sight of her friends giving the poor boy a chance to pass the time, perhaps they too had been moved by his story. She then glanced over to Beast Boy, who seemed thoroughly entranced by the book about the Dr. Dolittle that Jason had recommended to him, and turning to Cyborg, he appeared to be quite interested in a book that she couldn't quite make out the title of, so she floated closer to get a look. "This is a book on advanced mechanical engineering?"

"Oh, hey, Star." Cyborg lowered the book for a moment. "Well I figure if I won't be able to get a good look at the Batmobile, maybe I can find something in here about how it was designed. I love my baby, but there's plenty of things the Batmobile can do that the T-Car _can't..._ and personally..." He wrinkled his nose in distaste. "I don't like bein' outdone."

Starfire giggled as Cyborg stuck his nose back into the book, and she took a moment to appreciate the peace and quiet. So often, there was always activity at home, flashing lights and pounding music, arguments both serious and playful as well as raucous laughter...at times she could relate to Raven's desire for silence, it could be exhausting to always be around noise and movement, even with her usually contributing to the chaos herself at times. These quiet moments with her friends, she'd come to appreciate them so much more. The Tamaranean then turned her attention to Jason, who seemed to be focused on a book with the title of 'Oliver Twist.'

She briefly considered grabbing a book of her own and sitting down to read as well, but the sounds of movement in the kitchen caught her attention, and she floated over to see Alfred gathering food together. _"G'tuverth_ Alfred," She said inquisitively as she floated over to examine everything Alfred had on the countertop. "What are you preparing?"

"Well, seeing as Master Dick informed me of your _voracious_ appetites, I thought it fitting that I fix you all a meal to tide you over until breakfast tomorrow morning. It _has_ been a long day and I imagine as soon as Masters Bruce and Dick return, you'll have to make a decision as to what to do with our unwilling guest." Alfred replied as he pulled a butter knife and started spreading mayonnaise across some small Hawaiian sweet rolls. "Will ham and cheese sandwiches suffice? I haven't had a chance to restock the refrigerator yet and I'm hoping to save what I need for breakfast until tomorrow."

"That would be wonderful, _g'tuverth_ Alfred, I thank you." Then her eyes widened as she came to a sudden realization. "Oh!" She said with a raised finger, gaining the butler's attention. "If it would not be too much of an inconvenience, friend Beast Boy is a vegetarian, is there anything you can prepare that would be free of meat?"

"Well, I suppose I could make _cucumber_ sandwiches instead."

"Oh, but I am afraid friend Cyborg would not appreciate having his meat taken away." Starfire laughed sheepishly when Alfred raised an eyebrow. "I apologize. Admittedly, friends Beast Boy and Cyborg often...clash over our meals on a daily basis. Cyborg greatly appreciates the taste and protein of animal flesh...and Beast Boy has _been_ all forms of animal flesh. It is usually amusing to watch them exchange banter, but I imagine it is less so for someone who is tasked with properly providing sustenance for them both. I offer my assistance to mitigate the level of fuss."

The butler smiled and shook his head. "That won't be necessary Mistress Starfire, I often had to prepare two meals at a time when Master Dick lived here, his tastes in cuisine weren't quite as...sophisticated as Master Bruce's." As Alfred went back to the fridge to fetch some cucumbers, he looked over his shoulder at the girl with a curious expression. "By any chance, does Master Beast Boy have any objection towards dairy products?"

"Um..." Starfire raised an eyebrow and scratched her chin in thought. "Truthfully, that is a question I cannot answer for certain. Beast Boy prefers the milk of soybeans if given the option, but he has shown no hesitation to help himself to a simple cheese pizza when we order it, and that is made with the dairy...perhaps it is simply a matter of personal preference? He has never explained it in detail."

"I see..." Alfred nodded slowly. "Well...I believe Master Beast Boy will enjoy what I'm going to make him." He smiled up at the tall Tamaranean. "If you still wish to help, perhaps you could put together the ham and cheese for the others?"

"Um..." Starfire tapped her fingertips together hesitantly. "I...was thinking more along the lines of cleaning up and fetching whatever you need to make the food." She shrugged her shoulders up and her head lowered in disappointment. "I am afraid that my cooking often ruins the appetites of my friends."

"Is that so?" Alfred tilted his head skeptically. "Well, tonight will be different. Go on now, get started, I'm positive that they'll love it."

Starfire looked down at the bread, cheese and ham nervously for a moment, then she finally, hesitantly, took some of the mayonnaise and spread it across a sweet roll, only to glance over at Alfred again for approval. When she received a smile and an encouraging nod, she returned the gesture with a shaky smile of her own and continued. But as she got into a rhythm, her mind began to wander, and the smile slowly faded and was replaced with a thoughtful frown. She was about four sandwiches in when she looked over to Alfred again, a question on the tip of her tongue. _"G'tuverth_ Alfred-"

"Please, my dear, just Alfred." The butler smiled kindly as he mixed some cream cheese, mayo and garlic powder into a bowl. "The only one who should be using honorifics around here is _me."_

Starfire giggled. "As you wish, but please, simply call _me_ Starfire, or Kory if you prefer. I was so afraid that when my friends found out I was the princess of Tamaran, they would start calling me-"

"You're a princess?!" Alfred gasped, cutting off the now stunned and wide-eyed Tamaranean. "Oh, dear me! If I'd only known, I've been addressing you all wrong."

"No, please!" Starfire raised her hands in a calming gesture. "It is quite alright, I would much rather be known as simply _me,_ rather than royalty."

"My dear, it just isn't proper for a servant such as myself to address those he serves with anything less than the highest respect."

"But I do not wish to know you as a servant, I would much rather have you as my friend! I was merely using the term _g'tuverth_ to honor your status as the head caretaker of this home."

Alfred smiled slyly. "That sounds a lot like a servant."

"In a manner of speaking it is." Starfire looked the man in the eyes. "But on Tamaran, we have two terms that are used for servant. The first is _garifa,_ which is just a common servant. _G'tuverth_ is a title given to the one who is counted on to make sure everyone and everything is taken care of. It is a great responsibility, but it is also an extremely high honor; only royals rank above a _g'tuverth,_ and only a _k'norfka_ is considered an equal because of their role in raising children."

The butler's eyes were wide as he processed the information he'd heard. "Well, I had no idea your kind held people like me in such high regard."

Starfire tilted her head. "Do you not receive the same respect from Robin's _k'norfka?"_

"Oh absolutely I do," Alfred stated firmly, finally getting back to the cucumber sandwiches he'd been working on as he mixed in onion salt and Worcestershire sauce into the spread. "Master Bruce has never treated me with anything less than the utmost respect, but in spite of that, I still call him _Master_ Bruce. It's just how things are meant to be done." The older man smiled warmly. "So please, Princess Starfire, allow me the honor of treating you with the reverence that you deserve."

The Tamaranean sighed good-naturedly and shook her head with an exasperated smile on her lips. "Very well, if you insist."

"Thank you my dear." Alfred began slicing cucumbers, now that his mixture was completed. "Now then, what was it you wanted to tell me before this entire conversation went off the rails?"

"Oh." Starfire's smile again vanished as she was reminded of what she was going to ask. "I wanted to ask you something regarding friend Jason..." She said with her voice lowered a bit as she fiddled with some slices of ham. "I wish to suggest to Robin that Jason should be given an opportunity to redeem himself; I do not believe he is as far gone as he claims to be, I believe that what he _truly_ needs is friends, people who will look out for him and make him feel loved and cared for. That is something that _no one_ should be without, and Jason has been denied that for most of his life...I would like to know your opinion."

As Alfred began placing spread and cucumber slices onto pieces of white bread, he hummed in thought before addressing his helper. "Princess Starfire, it sounds to me that you're simply willing to look beyond what wrongdoings the poor lad has done, and are trying to understand him on a deeper level." He smiled at her as he closed the final sandwich intended for Beast Boy. "Ultimately, the choice is yours to make. Master Dick has a temper but from what I can tell, he takes your opinions very seriously, so I believe that in this matter, you should do what you think is best."

The validation of her thoughts brought a shine to the Tamaranean's eyes, and she closed the final sandwich she'd gotten ready just as Alfred approached her to add a few more. "I thank you for the encouragement, Alfred."

"You're quite welcome, Princess." Alfred pulled out a silver tray and placed the sandwiches on them. "Now then, what say we bring everyone their late-night snack? Perhaps after they've gobbled up everything here, you'll feel confident enough in yourself to prepare something for Master Dick when he arrives? I have no doubt he'll be famished."

She nodded and followed the butler out to the library, and their entrance caught everyone's attention as the faint smell wafting from the sandwiches immediately whet their appetites. "Friends! I wish to offer you all a helping of tiny sandwiches prepared by friend Alfred and I!"

"Um..." Beast Boy raised a finger hesitantly. "What kind of sandwiches are they?"

"Not to worry, Master Beast Boy," Alfred said consolingly as he began passing the tray around. "I was informed of your vegetarian habits, I specially prepared some cucumber sandwiches for you accordingly. Rest assured, any dairy-based ingredients came from cruelty-free, certified humane farms where the animals in questions are treated with the utmost respect and given only the finest care. Master Bruce would accept no less."

"Whoa..." Beast Boy stared dumbfounded at the tray being held out to him, and he slowly reached up to take a couple of sandwiches, one in each hand, looking at them in awe before glancing back up at Alfred. "Thanks, dude...I dunno what to say."

"Time out!" Cyborg made a 'T' with his hands. "What happened to the whole no eggs or milk thing you've been drillin' into our skulls for the past three years?!"

"I eat ice cream and pizza, Cyborg, it was never about the products, it was always about the animals!" Beast Boy glared at the metal man. "Do you have any idea how animals are treated during the production process? They get shoved in tiny cages and _forced_ to lay eggs, they get their beaks cut off without any sort of pain reliever, and beaks are extremely sensitive! That would be the equivalent of someone chopping my nose off my face, they're _tortured,_ Cyborg!"

"Relax, B, I didn't know that was how you felt about it." Cyborg looked down at his own ham and cheese sandwich for a moment. "How come you never told us about this?"

"Because it makes me nauseous to even think about it..." Beast Boy stared blankly at his own sandwiches. "And would it have made a difference? It's not like I can just get everyone to swear off eating the stuff."

"Maybe not, but now that I know, I'm gonna be keepin' an eye on where our stuff comes from." Cyborg nodded resolutely and swallowed a sandwich whole. "Shoulda told me a long time ago, BB, you could've been enjoying my cooking at its finest instead of just horking down tofu every meal."

"I _like_ the taste of tofu." Beast Boy's nose crinkled in annoyance. "You've never even tried it before, there's so much you can do with tofu to make it taste _awesome,_ I've just never had the chance to show you guys."

Cyborg smirked. "How about I give you that chance?"

"Huh?" Beast Boy's eyes widened in shock. "You serious?"

"Don't get _too_ excited, there's a catch to this." Cyborg's smirk grew into a toothy grin. "You're gonna get a chance to prove what you can do with tofu...but it's gonna be in a cook-off, against _me._ The ultimate challenge to prove once and for all that meat is superior to tofu in every way...unless by some miracle you actually manage to beat me, in which case I'll demand a recount. Whaddya say?"

Beast Boy gaped at his friend before a sly smirk spread across his face. "You're on, Chrome Dome, but it's only fair to warn you, you just opened up a massive can of tofu butt whoop that you're not gonna be able to close!" Beast Boy finally took a bite of his sandwich...and almost immediately his train of thought was derailed as he moaned in delight. "Dude...this is _awesome,_ this might be the greatest sandwich in the history of sandwiches!"

"Okay now you're just bein' ridiculous, better than classic ham and cheese? It's just a cucumber on white bread!"

"Try it and then say that!"

"Not a chance!" Cyborg looked over to Raven. "Hey, Rae, break the tie."

"Yeah, Raven." Beast Boy held out his unbitten sandwich to her. "Go ahead and try this, and tell 'em that a plain ol' ham and cheese can't even _compare_ to whatever Alfred did here."

Her eyes narrowed in annoyance at being dragged into the discussion, but she finally sighed in defeat and took the spare sandwich from Beast Boy's hand, taking a small bite out of it. She chewed it for a few moments, letting the combination of flavors spread across her tongue...and when she swallowed, she fixed both Cyborg and Beast Boy with separate blank stares. "The cucumber sandwich is more complex, and lighter. I like that one better."

"Yes!"

"Aww man, Rae, how could you let me down like this?!"

Starfire giggled as her friends went back and forth, taking a brief glance at Alfred who was simply watching the entire exchange without so much as a reaction. "I believe now you understand what mealtimes are like for us back home."

"It's certainly energetic, I'm just glad to hear everyone's been satisfied, at least I _think_ so."

"You have done quite well, friend Alfred." Starfire placed a hand on the man's shoulder, then turned back to look at her friends once more...and her smile shrunk somewhat as her eyes locked onto Jason, who was watching the Titans interact with each other with a neutral gaze. Taking the tray of leftover sandwiches from Alfred, Starfire floated over to the boy and held it out to him. "Raven, please release him from your grasp."

"Star, are you sure we should-"

The Tamaranean nodded firmly in Beast Boy's direction. "I am sure." She turned back to Raven, who was watching her carefully. "Raven, please." After a few moments, Raven removed the black tendril keeping Jason trapped, much to the boy's suspicion as he fixed Starfire with a hesitant glare. "You must be hungry, please partake with us."

"Aren't you worried I'm gonna try to escape?"

"I believe a good meal is more enticing to you than the slim hope that you might evade capture." Starfire again gestured towards the tray, which had one cucumber and one ham and cheese left. "You may be our prisoner, but I do not believe you are evil. No one who is willing to sacrifice their life for others could truly be so. If you prefer to still be treated as our enemy, you have that option. But why be our enemy, when you could be our friend?"

"Friend?" Jason scoffed. "I don't have any friends, if there's one thing I've learned, the only one you can ever really count on in life is yourself."

"That is not true," Starfire protested with a shake of her head as she placed the tray next to Jason and got down on one knee to look him in the eyes. "And I believe you know this..." She took his hand in hers, much to the boy's shock, as well as everyone else's. "You do not have to live your life alone anymore. Do you truly _wish_ to be taken to prison? To be tried for your crimes and punished for what you have done? I am offering you a chance to make things right, a chance to start your life anew. You are still so very young, and have so much to learn and to live for. Do not throw this opportunity away."

Jason looked down at his hand, still being gently grasped by the beautiful woman smiling at him, then he looked back at her, uncertainty in his eyes. "What about Dick? Or Bruce? They're not gonna just let me walk outta here scot-free."

"You misunderstand. I am not suggesting we simply let you go. I propose that you spend time with us, and learn what it is like to have friends who care for you. Richard would not agree to just let you go do whatever you wish with no consequence, but I may be able to convince him to give you a chance to redeem yourself while in our custody." She scrunched her nose as she thought. "I believe a more appropriate way of phrasing it would be, you will be on parole."

"Well...I...guess that sounds better than going to jail." The boy finally relinquished a shaky smile, and slowly reached for one of the sandwiches on the tray, watching Starfire carefully as he did so. Her own smile never wavered, and she graced him with an encouraging nod. That gesture gave him a confidence boost, and he took a bite out of the sandwich and moaned as the flavors further whetted his appetite. "Delicious, thanks." Then he looked up at Alfred, whose professional gaze never wavered. "And thanks for the food earlier, Alfred, you...probably didn't want to go through all that trouble."

"Nonsense, Master Jason." Alfred's lips upturned ever so slightly. "Consider this my contribution to hopefully steering you back onto the right path."

"Starfire, I'd like to talk you for a minute." Raven suddenly got up and walked out of the library, hearing the taller girl reassure Jason before following her into the hallway. "Are you sure this is a good idea? Tragic backstory or not, this is still Red X we're talking about here."

"Everyone deserves another chance, Raven." Starfire said sympathetically. "We have all done things we are not proud of, but that does not make us bad people. You are an empath, I am positive you can sense his emotions. What do you feel right now?"

"I'd...rather not go digging into his head like that, it's a serious invasion of privacy."

"I understand. But I do not wish for you to search for any private thoughts, simply take a brief glimpse and get an idea of what he feels."

Again she hesitated, but finally Raven closed her eyes, her expression suddenly softening. "I feel...anxiety, fear, a very faint glimmer of hope...there's also gratitude, and uncertainty." Raven opened her eyes to look up at her friend, a sigh escaping her lips as she stopping reaching out with her power. "He's confused, scared...but I think he wants to believe you're telling him the truth."

"I _am_ telling him the truth."

"I know you are, Star...and I'm not even disagreeing with you, goodness knows there's no one who needed a chance at redemption more than me, a literal demon spawn...but do you really think Robin will go along with this?"

"I am positive Robin will resist, and I would not blame him for being hesitant." Starfire sighed. "But if Jinx can go from enemy to friend in such a short time, Jason should be given the same opportunity. Will you support me if he brings it to everyone else to decide?"

Raven's lips upturned under her hood. "You know I will." Then she frowned, as she felt a presence approaching. "Get ready, because I think Robin just came back with Batman."

"Then let us not allow him to assume we have been neglecting our duties." Starfire flew back into the library with Raven close behind, and the grandfather clock slid aside to reveal Robin climbing up the steps from the Batcave, an uncharacteristically wide smile on his face. "Robin, were you successful in transporting the villain you call the Joker back to the asylum of Arkham?"

"Yep, and I've got some _more_ good news, but I'd like to share that with you in private if that's okay with you."

"Oh! Um...very well." Starfire looked behind her boyfriend to glance down into the cave. "Where is the Batman?"

"Bruce is debriefing Babs on what she missed." Then Robin turned to Jason, who was in the middle of finishing the last bite of his second sandwich when he got his attention. "We'll be right with you, X, glad to see you didn't cause any trouble while I was gone."

"Not like I had much of a choice." Jason's jab was ignored by Robin as he grabbed Starfire's hand to lead her into the hallway where their rooms were located. "What got into him?"

"Starfire." The remaining three Titans all deadpanned.

The couple entered Robin's room, and the young man closed the door and pulled a small device out of his pocket as Starfire walked further in with a nervous expression. "Robin, there is something of the utmost importance that I wish to-" She didn't even get the chance to finish her sentence, as she was suddenly lifted off her feet and spun around the room in Robin's arms, the Boy Wonder cheering at the top of his lungs as he laughed with glee. "Richard, what has gotten into you?!"

"He _approves,_ Star!" He exclaimed as he set her down and grasped her hands tightly in his. "I was ready to go to war for our relationship...but Bruce _approves,_ he likes that we're together, he likes _you!"_ He grinned cheekily and rubbed right behind her ear, reveling in how she turned to a pile of blushy mush at his touch. "And how could he not, you're everything a man could want: brains, beauty and brawn all rolled up into one perfect package, even Batman can't resist you...God, Star, this went better than I ever could've hoped, and I have _you_ to thank for it."

Starfire beamed and wrapped her arms around him for a tight hug. "That is glorious news, Richard!" She released him and removed his mask so she could gaze into his baby-blue eyes. "So does this mean that you and your _k'norfka_ have done the making up?"

"It means that it's a start." Robin's smile faded slightly. "We still disagree on a lot of stuff, like, he's not going to let Cyborg disarm the Chronoton Detonator, he plans on heading back out tonight to do that himself now that he's got all the time he needs to study it, but we had a really good talk...I think we can coexist after all."

"Glorious. Simply glorious." She kissed his cheek, but her smile faded when she pulled back.

"Star? What's wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong...I am truly happy for you and your _k'norfka,_ and I am _overjoyed_ that we will not have to endure disapproval from him regarding our love for each other." She turned her back to him and folded her hands in front of her face. "I am simply afraid that what I have to say may cause your cheerfulness to vanish."

"What could you have to say that would do that?" Robin asked as he gently turned her around so she facing him again. "Is this about what you wanted to talk to me about? Does it have to do with Red X?" She nodded at him. "Did he do something to you? Make another snide comment?" She shook her head. "Star, help me out here, I can't help you if you don't tell me."

She lowered her head for a moment before looking into his eyes, grasping his hands and pulling them up to her face for her to feel them. "Richard, _d'anthe l'ani,_ I do not wish to send friend Jason to prison."

 _"Friend_ Jason?" Robin's eyes widened in shock. "What happened while I was gone?"

"He told us his story, Richard, I forced him to tell us...the fear in his eyes when I shined my starbolts in his face...he told us about the king of sewers, who forced him to steal and originally set him down the path he is currently walking, who punished him with light whenever he was disobedient, or even when he was not. He also told us about how he knows of you and _k'norfka_ Bruce, of how he had fun doing things with you and briefly felt happy. Richard, friend Jason does not require imprisonment...he requires _kindness."_

"Star, he's a criminal." He pulled his hands back to cross his arms over his chest. "He stole the Red X suit right from under our noses, he used it to steal anything he could get his hands on, and it was _his_ decision to do all that. No one forced him, no one told him to, _he_ did that, all by himself. He deserves to be punished, even if he's not one of our usual psycho villains."

"I agree, that is why I am making the suggestion that he spend time here with us while we are in the city of Gotham. He would still be in our custody, it would just be under...I believe the term is the arrest of houses."

"You mean house arrest?" Robin furrowed his brow in thought. "I'd have to clear it with Bruce first, and something tells me he wouldn't be a big fan of having a wanted criminal staying at Wayne Manor; considering he caught him trying to steal the tires off the Batmobile, I don't blame him."

"Please try, Richard." She folded her hands pleadingly.

"There's also the fact he stole the Red X suit in the first place, the symbol of my greatest failure." Robin fumed as he looked away and bunched up his shoulders tensely. "He has to pay the price for what he did, he's not even going to end up in prison, he's too young. All he did was steal, he never hurt anyone, so he'll have to go to juvenile court and he'll be sentenced to some community service or some form of rehabilitation. That's already getting off pretty darn easy."

"If he must be rehabilitated, then let _us_ be the ones to do it! The only time he has ever truly felt happy was during the brief period he spent here with you, Alfred, and _k'norfka_ Bruce. Perhaps we can be the good influences on him!"

Robin whipped his head back around to glare at Starfire. "Why are you so adamant about this? Plasmus has a tragic story and I don't see you giving _him_ so much sympathy."

"How can _you_ be so cold towards someone you once wished to consider a friend?" Starfire glared back harder. "You said so yourself, Jason never hurt anyone, and he even helped you to recover your stolen briefcase!"

"After he tried to take it for himself."

Starfire's jaw clenched. "He also helped you save me from being destroyed by the Professor Chang's laser cannon, without his help I would likely no longer be here to be having this discussion with you." That statement earned a frustrated grunt from Robin as he turned his back on her. "Robin, was it not you who told the Batman that our jobs as heroes include more than simply solving crimes and doing the punching out of bad people? Why does Jason not deserve the same benefit of the doubt that you so readily offered our former enemy and now friend and _leader_ of Titans Europe, Jinx?"

Robin glanced over his shoulder. "Jinx helped her case by fighting on our side against the Brotherhood of Evil, not to mention the fact that Kid Flash vouched for her. A lot."

"So you are willing to trust Kid Flash, but not me."

Robin spun around and pointed an accusatory finger at her. "That's not fair!"

"It is _very_ fair!" Starfire spat back. "You were willing to listen to Kid Flash and took his word that Jinx had changed, and now I am here saying to you that I believe Jason can change as well, but you will not trust my judgment in this matter! You are too busy having the grudge towards him for stealing the suit which you feel the guilt for creating!"

"I trust _you,_ it's _him_ I don't trust! He'd turn around and stab us in the back in a heartbeat if he felt it would serve his purposes!"

"And I again say that is not true."

Robin inhaled sharply, his nostrils flaring from the frustration. "And you know this _how?"_

"If you refuse to trust _my_ judgment, then ask _Raven_ what _she_ thinks."

"This isn't about you, Starfire! I _do_ trust you! It's-"

"Yes, you have made it clear that you feel this is about Jason. Nevertheless, it is our mission as the Teen Titans to help those who need help, regardless of our personal feelings. This is a lesson I learned from _you,_ please do not go back on your word _now._ Jason is in need of help, and we have the means and the resources to do so."

"Starfire..." Robin sighed and aggressively ran his hands through his spiky hair. He took a few deep breaths and closed his eyes in contemplation, repeating Starfire's words in his head and remembering Jason's actions both when he was a child and when he was Red X. After a few tense moments of silence, he spoke again. "Alright, fine. We'll do this your way." He looked her right in the eyes. "But we're keeping him on a very short leash, I'm talking constant surveillance, I'm not giving him a chance to escape again and go back on another crime spree. One wrong move, and he's off to a detention center."

Starfire exhaled tiredly, a small frown still on her face. "Very well."

"Now I just have to explain it to Bruce." Robin suddenly snorted with a derisive smile. "Ugh, _Bruce,_ you know he invited us out to lunch tomorrow? As Dick Grayson and Kory Anders. He needs to _get to know_ the girl his ward decided to express his undying love to."

"Do you regret doing so?"

Robin shook his head and went to sit on his bed, slumping with exhaustion as he rubbed his eyes with his fingers. "No, I don't regret it. But it _does_ mean that we're gonna be harassed by the media a lot more, not to mention Bruce is gonna be in one heck of a mood after I tell him what we're doing with Red X."

"We are doing the right thing. _Trust me,_ Richard."

Robin looked up at his girlfriend, the pleading look in her eyes wearing him down further. "I won't lie, I don't think this is going to work." He shook his head again before looking at her again. "But I _do_ trust you." He went over and picked up his mask and placed it back onto his face. "Tell Alfred to set up a room for Red X, and tell _Cyborg_ to make sure the room is under _our_ surveillance. I don't want Bruce to be the only one who has access to all the rooms in the manor."

Starfire's eyes widened in horror. "You mean...he has seen and heard _everything?"_

"He would have if I hadn't sent out a jamming signal for in here." Robin picked up the small device he'd pulled out of his belt earlier and pressed the tiny button, switching it off. "A little something Bruce cooked up to make sure I couldn't stick my nose where it didn't belong. Decided to borrow one for myself, it's basically an electronic 'do not disturb' sign." He placed the device back into his belt and turned to walk out. "I hope you know what you're doing, Star."

Starfire watched him leave, now standing alone in the bedroom with her hands folded in front of her chest, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears as she whispered out a desperate plea. "X'hal help me, I hope so too."

* * *

"You're going to what?!"

Robin rubbed his temples in a futile attempt to soothe the migraine that he swore was threatening to make his head pop like a balloon. After heading down to the Batcave to explain the situation to Bruce, he was so focused on his goal that he hadn't even stopped to consider the fact that Barbara was still there, and of course she had her own opinion to give. "Babs, I really don't need this right now."

"But, Dick...I heard his story too...and as much as I'd like to believe this kid can change, he _did_ try to sell your secret, _and_ Bruce's to the highest bidder! Don't you think it's a little risky to keep him around?"

Robin narrowed his eyes at her. "I'm a little concerned about how _you_ know about that whole debacle, considering _I_ never told you..." He glared at Batman knowingly for a moment. "But that's beside the point. I've made my decision, and as risky as it may be, I'm going to give Red X a chance to prove that he's not just a common crook."

"I admire your optimism, really," Barbara said sincerely. "God knows we could use more of it since _Bruce_ has a tendency to look at things through a half-empty glass...but this time, I think you're pushing it. It's not like he'll be tried like a hardened criminal like Killer Croc, why not just send him to a youth detention center and he can be worked on by professionals there without chancing he'll get his hands on proof of our identities?"

The Boy Wonder exhaled through his nose and looked away from the shorter redhead, a certain much taller one flashing in his mind throughout the whole discussion. Barbara validating his own arguments he'd used against Starfire wasn't making his decision any easier to hold on to. "It's not that simple." He finally said. "If it were only up to me, I'd put 'im away without a second thought."

 _"Isn't it_ up to you? I mean, you _are_ the leader."

Robin whipped his head back around to stare intently at Batgirl. "Babs, being the leader doesn't mean I get to boss them around and they follow orders without question. It just means that the final decisions are mine to make, and that means sometimes someone _else's_ input _besides_ my own ends up being the best choice in the end. I've made decisions before that turned out badly, and my teammates have come up with ideas that bail me out of messes that sometimes I make myself, they've earned the benefit of the doubt."

"I guess you're right..." Batgirl bit her bottom lip anxiously. "Still, don't you think-"

"Barbara," Bruce's voice suddenly cut through the air and silenced her thought. "He's made his decision. We have to respect it. Get the car ready, you're coming with me to disarm the Chronoton Detonator, by now your father's already placed guards around it and it needs to be defused properly."

Batgirl opened her mouth to protest again, but upon receiving a glare from Bruce, she set her jaw and swiftly turned around to stalk away. "Like son, like father." She mumbled under her breath.

Once she was out of earshot, however, Batman turned towards his surrogate son to speak for himself. "She has a point, Dick. You're putting your team _and_ us at unnecessary risk."

"I know the risk, Bruce."

"Did you forget what I told you already?" Batman narrowed his eyes slightly, ignoring how Robin immediately tensed up. "About being her leader first and her significant other second?"

"You're blaming this on Starfire?" Robin asked dangerously.

"She has a strong level of influence on you," Batman said evenly. "It's obvious that you don't think this is a good idea either, but you're going through with it anyway." He got up from his chair and walked a few steps towards him. "I've taught you that in this line of work, it's best to follow your gut, but _your_ gut's still young, and it has a tendency to waver when it shouldn't."

"I-"

"You've done incredible things as the leader of the Titans, Dick. You've proven yourself to be a natural fit for the role, but I _have_ watched you, and you have a tendency to rely on your team a little _too_ much. Don't let them, or her, convince you to make a decision we'll all regret. Trust your instincts."

Robin closed his eyes and took a deep breath before answering. "You're right. My instincts say we should do this _your_ way in this case...but I trust _her_ judgment too." Robin stood tall as he faced the imposing figure of Batman. "Yes, most of this is coming from Starfire, but if I didn't think she had a point, I wouldn't have given it a second thought. Red X...Jason...deserves a chance to redeem himself, and if she, and yes, the rest of my team, feels there's a good chance he'll take it, I'm going to trust them. But that doesn't mean I'm not taking every possible precaution. Cyborg already has Jason's new room under surveillance, and I'm going to make it clear to him he gets _one_ chance. If he blows it, he's done, and Starfire knows that too."

"Then there's nothing left to talk about." Batman started walking towards the car. "I hope you're prepared for the consequences if this ends up being the wrong decision, because they _will_ be dire." He stopped and looked over his shoulder at Robin, who was glaring at him. "Remember, I know what it's like to give people chances to reform...and Selina's made us pay extensively for it."

The mention of Catwoman caused Robin to flinch a bit as he watched Batman race towards the Batmobile, and moments later the engine roared to life as the car sped off into the night once more, leaving Batman's final words looming heavily over the young man. "God..." Robin walked over to the chair in front of the Batcomputer and slumped into it, utterly exhausted. "Don't make me regret this, Jason. Prove me wrong."

It wasn't until about an hour later, when a fatigued Tamaranean floated down into the Batcave and picked up the snoozing Boy Wonder into her arms with an elderly butler acting as her escort, and together the two placed him into his bed so he could get proper rest; they exchanged sympathetic glances before Starfire returned to her own room for the night. It wasn't hard for them to come to the conclusion that the next day was going to be a long one.

* * *

Things could change in the blink of an eye, and fortunately so could he. Unfortunately, it had come at the price of his career and his own humanity. Further, even the one thing he had going for him, was now slowly killing him. Once an aspiring actor, he was now little more than a massive pile of goo, able to change into any form he desired, with a little concentration. But as of late, he'd found it becoming harder and harder to maintain control over his form. He was becoming slower, lethargic, most of his energy was starting to be dedicated just to keeping himself from falling to pieces altogether. He needed help, or he would essentially die of what could only be described as his own personal version of old age.

That's when _he_ called.

He had no idea who his client was, or what he looked like, just that he seemed to be a very serious gentleman and very intelligent as well. How the client found him, he had no idea, but considering how desperate he was, he was willing to do whatever it took to get his hands on enough money to save himself, or soon he'd start leaving evidence of himself wherever he went, he could feel it was only a matter of time. So he accepted the job, it was certainly simple enough...all he had to do was take on the form of a man that his client had described in excruciating detail, and make sure he was seen by his target.

Once he was, he was to clear out without a trace, and he accomplished it. What that was meant to do, he had no idea, but as long as he got paid he didn't care. Now he was on his way to meet up with his client, who had promised him a payment of ten-thousand dollars, which he figured would be enough to kickstart the necessary treatments he'd need to stay alive...whatever those were. He'd figure that out later, he imagined. Now as he approached the designated pickup spot, the Gotham Explorer's Club, he sneaked past any possible security by simply turning into a pile of ooze and sliding under the doors undetected. Once inside, he was greeted by a pale, old man whose white hair had all but vanished, only remaining on the sides of his face as sideburns. "Are you my client?"

The man didn't answer, instead he picked up a laptop computer and opened it...and seconds later, a new figure appeared on it. "Excellent work, Mr. Hagan...or do you prefer to be called Clayface?"

"I don't really care what I'm called right now as long as I'm not called mud." Clayface slowly walked over to the laptop and squinted to try and get a look at his client, but his face was far too concealed in shadow. "You got my money?"

"Indeed I do," The man's voice was like butter, smooth and confident, betraying no emotion other than satisfaction that the job had been completed. "You've done quite well, and you've earned this." The voice's apparent delivery man presented Clayface with a briefcase, filled to the brim with stacks of cash. "You'll find the entire promised amount here...and for doing such a fabulous job, I've even thrown in a little bonus."

"Oh yeah? There a catch to it?"

"No catch, and no extra cash either. I have something far better, something you'll be needing to pull yourself together." The voice seemed to chuckle. "I have arranged a meeting for you with a young lady named Stella Bates, she was a medical consultant on one of your romantic films... _Dark Interlude,_ was it?"

"Don't remind me."

"I think you'll come to appreciate your role again soon, Mr. Hagan. You see, Ms. Bates was quite taken in by you, and when she found out you were in need of help, she was willing to give up _everything_ to help the man she fell in love with, even selling her own motel to raise the necessary funds to cure you. Between that and what I've just given you, you just might find a means to keep you going for a while longer."

"Thanks, I guess." Clayface took the money. "But why would you go through all the trouble?"

"It's always best to keep bridges from burning, Mr. Hagan. As a former actor, I'm sure you can appreciate that." The man on the screen received a curt nod from the clay-based creature, and he waited until he was gone to speak again. "My plan isn't progressing quite as I'd hoped at this stage...if things don't change soon, I may have to enact my secondary plan. Now, it's your job to ensure that doesn't become necessary. Are you ready?"

"You paid me five million dollars to be ready." An extremely large man in a mask with a tube sticking out of his head stepped out of the shadows. "I will not fail twice. I will _break_ the bat for certain this time, and his little boy will follow soon after."

* * *

 **A/N: And that marks the last of the chapters that were pre-written, I'm still working on Chapter 6, so I'll have it out to you all as soon as I can. Lots of character moments, lots of conflicts, lots of things going on.**

 **Now, for references you may or may not have caught. Temple Fugate, the Clock King, comes from the B:TAS episodes "The Clock King" (his first appearance) and "Time Out Of Joint" (the episode where Batman gets his hands on the time-slowing device he used on the detonator.**

 **The last segment of this chapter, featuring Clayface, is a prelude to the episode "Mudslide."**

 **Feel free to drop questions during your reviews, I'll answer them if they 're not too spoilery lol. Anyway, stay tuned for the next chapter!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Finally finished up Chapter 6, so now it's time to see what the Titans do after their long first day in Gotham City, and with a certain former under-dweller tagging along. Now before we get started, as usual, I address the anonymous reviews.**

 **vi: As usual I love your enthusiasm, so thank you for the review! But in the future, could you please keep everything inside just one review? (^^U) It kinda clogs things up a smidge, hehe. I repeat, I love how much you're enjoying this story, makes me feel like I'm doing something right! Just try to squeeze it all into one review if you can.**

 **So with that taken care of, let's get started. I own nothing except the story.**

* * *

When Robin woke up, he found himself laying in his bed with the covers over him. His shoes were on the floor, his cape had been neatly folded and placed onto the nightstand next to him...and his mask was right there next to it. For a brief moment his heart raced with fear, who had seen him without his mask? But he soon relaxed as he remembered feeling the tender embrace of his girlfriend in his dreams. She must have carried him to bed, taken the time to make sure he was comfortable before leaving to go to sleep herself.

He smiled and his eyes softened at the thought, and a pang of remorse shot through him as he recalled what had transpired the night before. Their argument had been rather serious, by their standards at least, and he'd eventually acquiesced and agreed to do things her way, in spite of his better judgment. As he got out of bed, he frowned as he realized that meant Red X was still in the building, and he'd be hanging out with them for however long they would be staying in Gotham. He already knew he had a lunch appointment with Bruce and Starfire, so that meant he'd have to trust his teammates to keep an eye on Red X while he was busy.

Robin scoffed as he stripped out of his uniform to go and take a shower, he knew he wouldn't have much time before Alfred came up to inform him that it was time for breakfast. That got him to smile a bit, it'd been so long since he'd had Alfred's cooking. His breakfast feasts were legendary, and not even Cyborg could handle bacon and eggs as well as he could. Part of him hoped that he'd have his signature fried cinnamon apples on the table...they were always his favorite. His stomach growled in anticipation and Robin quickened his pace, doing just enough to be deemed clean, combing his hair in a more Dick Grayson-friendly style, and slipping on a polo and nice slacks so that he could hurry downstairs.

It was like he was a kid again.

As soon as he opened the door, the smell of food being prepared invaded his nostrils, and he had to keep himself from drooling like Beast Boy in dog form. He actually failed for a split-second when the unmistakable smell of apples being fried reached his nose, and he wiped his mouth and rushed down the stairs to meet Alfred in the kitchen...and as soon as he got there, his excitement turned into horror.

Red X was in the kitchen...and he was eating _his_ fried apples.

"Alfred, I gotta say, this might be the best thing I've eaten in a _long time!"_

"The compliment is appreciated, Master Jason. Do enjoy while I prepare breakfast for everyone else."

Watching Red X happily chomp down what was supposed to be _his_ favorite breakfast side dish, Dick felt a sudden urge to strangle the younger boy for stealing his food _and_ the sympathy of his girlfriend and former butler. What was it about Red X that made people gravitate towards him? It couldn't just be because he used to be a poor boy in a bad spot...could it? No...there had to be something more, and he was going to use his detective skills and find out what it was. As Dick walked into the kitchen, Red X spotted him and the beaming smile he was wearing before vanished as he swallowed an apple and fixed the Boy Wonder with a neutral stare. "So..." Dick started nonchalantly. "Enjoying my favorite breakfast treat?"

"Well I can see why they're your favorite, they're darn good."

"Yeah, they sure are." Dick took a seat across from him. "And I was really looking forward to eating some too."

"I sense some passive-aggressiveness in that statement." Jason put his fork down and his gaze hardened. "Why don't you say what's _really_ on your mind?"

"No, no, it's fine. I mean, Alfred's not obligated to make _me_ anything. If he wants to treat a criminal that a couple days ago was tied up in the Batcave, that's his prerogative." Dick leaned in to glare harshly at the boy. "That said, I hope the criminal in question understands one thing...if he thinks he can come in here and act like he owns the joint, hanging with _my_ friends and eating _my_ apples, he's got another thing coming."

"Now that's quite enough of that." Alfred suddenly walked in, and Dick's spine straightened up immediately as a startled expression formed on his face. "I certainly hope you don't think I forgot about _you,_ Master Dick. There's no need to read the poor lad the riot act, there's more than enough for him, you, and everyone else who would want some."

"Sure thing, Alfred." Dick mumbled, cheeks blazing with humiliation. Once Alfred walked away, Dick scowled at Jason who seemed all too pleased with himself as he ate the last of his apples. "You do realize that you're living on borrowed time. The only reason that you're not on your way to be tried for your crimes, is because _Starfire_ thinks there's hope for you to redeem yourself."

"She's more than just a hottie then, she's also got a heart." Jason smirked and pointed his fork in Dick's direction. "You know, _you_ used to have a heart too, but I guess somewhere down the line it disappeared. Here's poor ol' Frog, finally able to see the one kid who let him be an actual kid for once in his life, and he can't stand the sight of his face."

"And that's another thing," Dick hissed with a clenched fist. "Stop playing the victim, it doesn't apply to you anymore. _Frog_ was a victim, _Jason_ was a victim, _Red X_ is a criminal, who only ever looked out for himself unless helping others coincidentally served his cause too." He narrowed his eyes. "I don't trust you, but I'm giving you a chance to prove yourself for Starfire's sake."

Jason frowned and put his fork down. "So I guess me getting your case back meant nothing to you."

"You tried to take it for yourself so you could sell it to the highest bidder!"

"Yeah...but I _didn't!"_

"Oh well that makes up for what you initially _intended_ to do."

"Look, Dick," Jason sighed and placed his elbows on the table. "I get it, I'm not proud of what I did, I just sorta accepted that a thief was all I could ever be. But if Starfire's going to give me a legit chance to try again, I wanna take it."

The vulnerable statement froze Dick's mind for a brief moment, and his expression softened a bit as he leaned back in his chair. "Alright...you do deserve the chance to prove yourself, I know that; you're gonna get that chance." His eyebrows furrowed again. "But you need to understand something. You're not gonna be getting a lot of leeway, we're gonna be keeping an eye on you, and if you try to escape, or pull something sneaky while you _think_ no one's looking, it's right back to square one, and Starfire won't be able to bail you out this time. I hope you prove me wrong, but I'm fully prepared to take action if I end up being right. Are we clear?"

Jason fixed him with a hard stare. "Crystal."

It was at that moment that the rest of the Titans entered the kitchen, and witnessed the staredown taking place between Dick and Jason. "We havin' a staring contest?" Beast Boy grinned as he stuck his face between the two of them. "I totally got this." He suddenly morphed into a chameleon and pointed one eye at Dick and the other at Jason, which prompted them both to give a deadpan expression and turn away from each other. "Well," Beast Boy coughed awkwardly as he morphed back to normal. "Guess that means I win."

"Richard," Starfire said hesitantly. "Is everything alright?"

"Everything's fine, Star." Dick glanced at her before turning back to Jason. "Jason and I were just coming to an understanding."

"If that's what you wanna call it."

Again the tension was raised as Dick and Jason glared at each other. Fortunately, Alfred chose that moment to return and gain everyone's attention. "Good morning, young masters." He said with a brief nod. "If you'll follow me to the breakfast nook, we can formally begin breakfast and get you ready for the day ahead."

"Sounds like a plan!" Cyborg exclaimed as he rubbed his hands together. "I've been smellin' everything down here for a while now and I can't wait to dig in!"

The teens followed Alfred down the hall leading to the dining room, and as soon as they arrived, everyone but Dick gasped in awe at the spread that was laid out for them, buffet-style. Eggs piled high with every possible breakfast meat available for them to add to it, a bowl of fruit salad large enough to feed an army, pancakes, French toast, waffles, biscuits and gravy, bagels, English muffins, three kinds of cheese, coffee, juices and even a wide variety of herbal teas for Raven...and as Alfred promised, plenty of fried cinnamon apples for all. "Duuuuude, this is insane!" Beast Boy drooled with stars in his eyes. "This must've taken _hours_ to make!"

"All part of my duties." Alfred commented as he gestured towards all the food. "And rest assured, Master Beast Boy, everything here, except for the meat products of course, came from the same providers as what I prepared for you last night. Feel free to eat to your heart's content."

"Alfred, you are the man!"

Beast Boy and Cyborg quickly ran over and started piling their plates sky high with food, while the girls took a calmer approach and started slowly. Dick and Jason on the other hand, stayed back with Alfred, with Dick raising an eyebrow at the fact that Jason hadn't followed his teammates to the spread. "What, not hungry anymore?"

Jason didn't even look at him. "More like I'm getting a little tired of you glaring at me every time I make a move."

"Just go eat, I made my point clear. From this moment on, everything that happens is entirely up to you." Dick received another stare from Jason, and after a few more moments, the younger boy joined the Titans in getting an actual breakfast. Then Dick's eyes landed on Starfire, and his eyes softened at the sight of his girlfriend piling food high up on her plate ever so elegantly. She was really making an effort to be on her best behavior, he could tell; with the way Tamaraneans ate on their home planet, this had to go against every instinct she had. He walked over to her as she discretely sniffed a piece of cantaloupe to test its freshness, earning a chuckle from him. "You don't have to worry about that, Star. Alfred personally checks everything he plans to serve before he even prepares it."

Starfire graced him with a gentle smile before placing the melon on her already overloaded plate, then she frowned a bit as she looked away from him. "Robin, regarding what we said to each other last night-"

"No, Star...it was my fault. I shouldn't have gotten edgy with you, you were right about what you said. We're Titans, and we give people chances...even Red X."

The girl hummed contentedly and smiled at him again. "It is difficult for you to keep that perspective when the person receiving the second chance has personally wronged you."

Dick snorted. "You don't know the half of it."

"You are correct, I do not know the half of it." Starfire smirked. "I know the _full_ of it, and I do not wish for _you_ to be."

"Be what?"

"Full of it."

Dick's eyebrows went up to his hairline. "Did...did you just zing me?!"

"Did I?"

Robin gaped in shock at his giggling girlfriend, his jaw practically on the floor as she sauntered past him with a satisfied grin on her face to grab a bagel and toast it. Finally he was able to gather his thoughts as he beamed brightly at her. "Star, you never cease to amaze me." He then heard the pop of the toaster as Starfire's bagel was finished...burnt to a crisp and charred, just the way she apparently liked it. Dick resisted the urge to make a face at the smell and simply moved back to let Starfire reach it, and she soon went searching for her spread of choice. "If you're looking for mustard, I can tell Alfred to get some for you, but you might wanna cut back a bit so you still have room for lunch, Bruce is gonna be taking us to a swanky place in Downtown Gotham, and you'll be expected to eat something, so you can't get too full."

"Not to worry my love, I am certain that I will be sufficiently hungry by the time we must keep our appointment. After all, I do have nine stomachs."

Dick's eyes widened. "You have _nine_ stomachs?"

"Yes." Starfire tilted her head curiously. "That is one of the reasons I was able to resist Mother Mae Eye's evil pies, did I not tell you?"

"I don't think you did..." Dick chuckled with some shock. "No wonder you never get heartburn."

This time Starfire's eyes widened. "Human hearts can spontaneously combust?!" She gasped in horror.

"No, no!" Dick waved his hands frantically. "It's just something that happens to humans when their stomachs have trouble digesting something. They call it heartburn because the burning sensation is felt in the chest, not the stomach."

"So it is a burning feeling in one's chest? Then I _do_ get the heartburn."

Dick raised an eyebrow. "You do?"

"Mhmm." Starfire suddenly leaned in close, a sultry smile on her face and her eyes half-lidded with desire. "I am feeling it right now."

"Uh...well..." The rush that surged into Dick's belly caused him to look away as he gulped down his lust. Then when she started giggling at him, it was like getting doused in a cold shower. "Wait...you...you got me again!" He gawked at her. "When did _you_ get so good at wordplay?"

"I am full of the surprises, yes?"

"You little minx." Dick grinned impishly and shifted behind her so he could lean up and kiss her neck, earning a soft coo from her that raised his blood pressure substantially. "I'll teach _you_ to mess with me like that."

"Yo, get a room already!"

And just like that the moment was ruined, and Dick glared at Cyborg who had a mouthful of bacon he was in the process of swallowing. A rotten reminder of why he usually kept things private. "Why don't _you_ mind your own business?"

"I'd love to, but if you're gonna be puttin' your business on display like that, then I reserve the right to tease you mercilessly."

"Cyborg has an excellent point." Suddenly Bruce appeared in a business suit and tie, causing Dick to go ramrod straight and his entire face to go beet red in embarrassment. "You should save affection for when you're in private, plus we have _actual_ business to discuss."

Despite Bruce's serious tone, what resonated the most was the laughter of Cyborg and Beast Boy at how flustered their leader was when Bruce called him out on being mushy with Starfire, even Jason couldn't help but laugh, and Raven was fighting back a smile that she hid by lowering her head so she couldn't be seen. "Dude, you should've seen your face!" Beast Boy cackled.

Dick just glared at the green changeling, but all that accomplished was getting him to laugh harder. "Enough! I get the message!" He snarled as he swiped an apple from the serving line and bit into it harshly. "Let's just get this meeting over with." He took a seat next to Starfire, who had been rendered silent by Bruce's impromptu arrival.

She would've fired back at Beast Boy herself...had Richard's _k'norfka_ not walked in at that precise moment. Instead, she simply sat and picked at her eggs awkwardly before attempting to change the subject. "So, _k'norfka_ Bruce, I trust your disarming of the Chronoton Detonator went well?"

Bruce raised an eyebrow at the unfamiliar term, and he turned to Dick, who was still trying to calm his heart. "What did she call me?"

"It's a Tamaranean title." Dick responded with a neutral gaze. "For lack of a better term, she basically called you my caretaker."

"I see." Bruce nodded. "Well, let's just stick with 'Bruce' if that's alright."

"As you wish."

Bruce nodded again after Starfire's agreement, then began spreading butter on a piece of toast. "At any rate, it took me some time to unravel the wiring of the Chronoton Detonator and disarm it. Once I did, I deactivated the time-slowing device that Dr. Wakati developed and safely removed the chromium core."

"Any idea how Joker got his hands on one of those?"

Bruce shook his head at Dick's question. "Barbara and I dusted the bomb for fingerprints, but the only ones that came up were the Joker's. Whoever his supplier was, they didn't leave any evidence behind. I'm planning on going back to Arkham to interrogate him tonight after I keep an appointment with Leslie, then I have to scope things out for the bust that Commissioner Gordon is planning to capture Jimmy Peake."

"Leslie Thompkins?"

"That's right." Bruce bit into his toast and quickly chewed and swallowed it. "Now, here's the plan for today. Barbara's on her way here for Raven, Beast Boy, Cyborg..." Bruce turned to stare at Jason. "And Red X." His eyes didn't linger too long, and soon he was addressing everyone again. "She'll be playing the role of tour guide while you guard Red X and make sure he behaves himself."

"Lucky me." Jason scoffed.

"While you all are out and about, I'll be taking Dick and Starfire to lunch as their civilian selves so the media won't start speculating on Dick's return or his new girlfriend." Bruce turned to the couple, and Dick wilted a bit under his gaze. "Since you've gone public with your relationship, we have to make sure we dictate what they're talking about, otherwise rumors will start to spread unchecked."

"Please," Starfire raised her hand inquisitively. "What rumors may spread simply from the knowledge that Richard and I are the boyfriend and girlfriend? I was under the impression that Earth relationships are to be celebrated, is there not an entire holiday dedicated to them?"

"It's because of who we are, Star." Dick sighed tiredly, the day was only getting started and already he was wishing he could put his mask back on. Less drama to deal with as Robin. "Bruce is one of the most influential people on the planet, which is why he goes around acting like a playboy businessman, it keeps a strong contrast between Bruce Wayne and Batman, and keeps others from putting two and two together. Unfortunately, that means people end up talking about everything he does, for better or worse. Since I'm his ward, that means I fall under the same scrutiny; me publicly admitting I have a girlfriend means questions will come up like whether or not you and I...well...if we've ever...been intimate with each other."

"Well of course we have been intimate," Starfire said innocently, completely missing Dick's suddenly mortified expression. "Is this not normal?"

"Star," Raven spoke up to save Dick even more discomfort...not to mention her own since it was so strong it was starting to leak over to her. "He means they'll ask if you two have ever had sex, or if he got you pregnant."

"Oh." Starfire blushed slightly. "Forgive my misinterpretation, there are still some Earth figures of speech that I am not yet aware of."

"It's fine, Star, don't worry about it." Dick exhaled and forced himself to look back to Bruce, who was still as neutral as ever. "Anything else we need to know?"

"Yes." Bruce turned to the half-metal man. "Cyborg, you developed the holographic generator rings yourself?"

"Sure did," Cyborg replied smugly as he dusted his knuckles. "Prototypes were good enough to fool an entire school of up-and-coming villains, and I've only improved on the design since then."

"They're impressive, but that's not where I'm going with this." Bruce said, much to Cyborg's disappointment. "Do they need to be worn on a specific finger to work?"

"Uh...no." Cyborg scratched his head in confusion. "You could wear 'em on your toes if ya really wanted to, they scan the wearer's entire body and then project an exact copy that can be adjusted on the fly."

"Good." Bruce turned to the other Titans. "When you all go out today, place your rings on your right hand instead of the left one." He then turned specifically to Dick and Starfire. "Traditionally, rings worn on the left hand signify an engagement or a marriage. If Beast Boy hadn't chimed in when he did, the news would probably be filled with _even more_ speculation that you two are engaged to be married. We're going to put those rumors to rest today."

"Wait a minute...so does that mean that...me and Raven..." Beast Boy blushed and turned his head just enough so that he could look at Raven through the corner of his eye, and he saw her discretely putting her hood back up, suddenly very interested in her breakfast. "Well...um, I guess you could say we brought a whole new meaning to 'Beauty and the Beast,' heh heh." A halfhearted glare from Raven shut him down. "I'll uh...just go ahead and switch hands now."

Just then, Alfred came back into the room with his hands behind his back. "Terribly sorry, Master Bruce, but Miss Vreeland is on the phone for you."

"I'll be there in a moment, thank you, Alfred." As Alfred nodded and left, Bruce turned back to Dick and Starfire. "Veronica Vreeland is my date for the day, she'll be coming with us to lunch and she'll probably ask you two some questions in order to make it seem like she actually cares about you. I hope you're prepared if she starts asking you about your backgrounds."

"We'll be ready." Dick said shortly.

Bruce nodded and got up from the table. "Barbara should be here soon," He said as he addressed the others. "I suggest you finish eating and get ready to head out, and stay out of trouble if you can help it. Dick, make sure Starfire is ready, where we're going, it's formal."

As Bruce walked off to handle his business, Beast Boy breathed out a sigh of relief. "Dude, even when he's _not_ Batman, he still gives me the heebie-jeebies."

Dick scoffed. "That's Bruce for you."

"So I guess living here isn't all it's cracked up to be."

Dick gave Jason a deadpan look. "You were only here for one day," He said matter-of-factly. "And most of the time, Bruce wasn't even around. He's almost impossible to please."

"You don't say."

"And on that note..." Raven spoke up. "What exactly _are_ you going to tell everyone, Robin? You've been off the grid for the past three years, and _Starfire's_ secret identity was only made yesterday. The basics you gave us aren't going to be enough if someone decides to get intrusive."

"Well since I'll be turning 18 soon, I'm going to say that I'm about to graduate high school and I'll be staying abroad to go to college and aim for a degree in criminal justice." Dick scratched the back of his neck. "Which...honestly, I guess is the truth, now that I think about it."

"And as for me," Starfire chirped. "I have decided that my alter ego will become the professional model, and will take classes on the taking of photos as well as designing fashion."

"Really, Star?" Cyborg raised an eyebrow. "Not that I'm judgin' you, but you know if you say you're a model, you're gonna end up gettin' a lot of attention you don't necessarily want."

Starfire smiled bashfully and looked down at her hands in her lap. "I must admit, the idea of sharing myself with the world in such a way did not appeal to me at first, I wished to save myself for Richard." She glanced at Dick and saw that he was looking up at the ceiling while he scratched his face, prompting a small giggle from her. "But as I continued to ponder what it would be like, I realized that in a manner of speaking, it could be similar to a custom we have on Tamaran."

"How so?" Raven asked.

"On Earth, modesty is heavily encouraged, particularly among females. This was something I had to adapt to. On Tamaran, however, such social rules are not severely enforced. It is not uncommon for Tamaraneans to display their bodies for all to see; this is intended to flaunt the number of battles they have fought and the scars they have gained. That is why Galfore was chosen to be my _k'norfka,_ he is one of the fiercest warriors on the entire planet, and my family believed him worthy to ensure the safety of me and my siblings. I may not be able to bare all like on Tamaran, but perhaps being the model could be...I believe the saying is, 'the next best thing.'"

"Wait, are you telling me there's a _whole planet_ out there of girls just like you who are just walking around completely naked?" Jason whipped his head around to Dick. "I hereby request to live out my days as a prisoner of Tamaran."

"I do not believe you would enjoy that as much as you think you will." Starfire smirked knowingly. "While it is true that Tamaraneans have no qualms with nudity, to touch someone without consent while they are displaying their scars is considered a crime of the highest order...let us just say, your sentence would be carried out swiftly and without mercy."

Jason gulped and turned back to his food, poking at a strawberry on his plate with his fork. "I hereby _withdraw_ my request."

"Maybe that'll teach you to stop perving on everyone." Dick snickered before turning his attention back to the Titans. "So, any ideas where you wanna go in Gotham? There's plenty of options...in fact," Dick turned to Beast Boy. "Beast Boy, Bruce actually owns an animal sanctuary that I think you might enjoy, maybe if you ask Babs about it, she'll take you on the bus tour."

"Animal sanctuary? Like, a real one?"

"Yeah, Bruce has run into a lot of animals that need help in his career as Batman, every once in a while someone gets the idea to try and sell endangered animals via some of the scumbags around here, so he started up the sanctuary a few years ago in order to make sure they have somewhere comfortable to live, safe from others who might try to put them at risk...he caught a lot of heat from the Gotham Zoo over it, but Bruce doesn't particularly care about their blustering anyway."

Beast Boy stared in disbelief at his leader. "And you don't like Batman _why,_ again?" Then he turned to his companions for the day. "All in favor of an animal sanctuary tour?!" The changeling raised his hand, turning his attention to everyone in sequence as he waited for them to raise their own hands...but, no one did. "For real? C'mon, it'll be fun!"

"B, I get enough animal smell just bein' around _your_ sorry butt every day." Cyborg scoffed. "Plus, if I ever wanna go to the zoo, I'll just have you switch into all the animals I wanna see and save myself the price of admission and the gas." Cyborg turned to Dick. "What else ya got, Rob?"

"Wait." Raven got the group's attention, and after a few moments of hesitation, she slowly raised her hand as well. "I vote we go to the animal sanctuary."

Beast Boy's eyes lit up. "Really?!"

Cyborg's jaw dropped. "Rae, you votin' against me for the green bean _again?!_ There is _no way_ you actually wanna go see a bunch of smelly animals all day long." Cyborg whipped his head around and glared at Beast Boy. "You stole one of her books and put some kinda spell on 'er, didn't you? Or she lost a bet, right? That's gotta be it."

"I didn't do anything to her!" Beast Boy slammed his hands on the table. "Why is it that every time someone agrees to do something _I_ want, there has to be some kinda catch?!"

"Because this is _Raven_ we're talking about here." Cyborg said matter-of-factly, then turned to the empath. "C'mon, Rae, level with me here."

Again she remained silent for a moment. "No, I don't _want_ to go to the animal sanctuary." She finally said, much to the green boy's dismay. "However, Beast Boy has his heart set on going, and quite frankly I don't care one way or the other. I don't see the harm."

"Well...thanks, Raven...I guess." Beast Boy then turned to Dick. "You know, we don't have to spend the _whole day_ there...maybe, there's something in Gotham that _Raven_ might enjoy?"

"That's okay, you really don't have to-"

"But I _want_ to!"

"Don't _I_ get a say in anything?" The Titans stopped their bickering and glanced at Jason, who just stared back at them for several moments before finally giving up. "Guess that's a no."

"Alright, here's what _I_ would do." Dick finally spoke and raised his hands up. "Babs will take you guys to the animal sanctuary, then once the tour is finished, you'll head straight to DeLarue's Wax Museum." Dick turned to Raven. "Rae, they recently added an exhibit on some of the world's most renowned mystic arts and their history and lore; I think you might enjoy that."

Raven bobbed her head and shrugged. "I suppose it's worth taking a look at least."

"Oh great, so what am I then?" Cyborg crossed his arms. "A Chaperone?"

Dick smirked. "After the museum, Babs'll take you down to a secret garage where a good friend of ours works...you'll wanna take your rings _off_ for this one though."

Cyborg's eye widened. "Why's that?"

"Because you'll be dropping in on Earl Cooper, a former engineer for Global Motors...and the man behind the Batmobile."

"Are you serious?!" Cyborg leaped up from his chair and grabbed Dick by the shoulders, much to the boy's shock. "We're gonna go and see the man who designed and built the Batmobile?!" He started shaking Dick out of excitement. "Oh the things that man could probably teach me, he'd be able to turn the T-Car into something beyond my wildest dreams, and then _I'd_ be able to make even _more_ improvements from there!" Cyborg finally released Dick who fell on his back much to Starfire's dismay. "What're we waiting for?!" He zipped over and grabbed his plate, sliding the rest of his breakfast into his mouth and swallowing it all in one go. "Let's get this day started! The sooner we finish seeing animals and wax, the sooner we get to the _real_ excitement!" The half-robot grabbed both Raven and Beast Boy by the wrists and dragged them out of the dining area, leaving the others to themselves.

"So," Jason said conversationally as Starfire knelt down to check on her woozy boyfriend. "I guess this sort of thing happens a lot?"

* * *

As expected, the moment Barbara arrived in an SUV large enough to carry all of her passengers for the day, Victor forcibly shoved Jason and the other disguised Titans into the car so they could hurry and get his portion of the Gotham tour started, which left Dick and Kory to ride with Bruce and his... _date,_ Veronica, in the limo driven by Alfred. Veronica was an old friend of Bruce, a socialite through and through and she considered herself one of the elites of Gotham, which depending on who you asked, she was. She was also Bruce's usual playboy image type of girl: tall, fairly curvaceous and nary a wrinkle to be seen, naturally so or otherwise; long red hair and green eyes, she was a beautiful woman to be sure, perfect for keeping Bruce's image intact, and since she had a reputation for being around Bruce anyway, no one would bat an eyelash or start rumors that couldn't be handled.

Dick, however, had to fight back a smirk the entire time, as in his humble and totally unbiased opinion, everything that Veronica had going for her, his disguised Tamaranean girlfriend had more of. Part of him felt bad for thinking of Kory in such carnal terms, there was certainly a lot more to her than her physical qualities...but on the other hand, he was entitled to enjoy it, wasn't he? Perks of being her boyfriend and all that? Just this one victory over Bruce. Kory was taller, curvier...and _at least_ ten times smarter than any of the bubbleheads Bruce found himself hanging around for the sake of his real world identity, including Veronica.

He mentally dared Bruce to tell him that any of the girls he'd ever dated knew the secret to faster than light travel, or how many atoms were in one kilogram of oxygen.

Kory had been somewhat nervous about being able to remember all of the details regarding her human identity, but thanks to Veronica, she hadn't had to worry much about that. That was the main pro. The main con, however, was directly related to the pro...Veronica would not shut up about her own life.

"And so my cousin's ex-boyfriend had the _audacity_ to show up on her front porch with only a bouquet of _yellow_ roses and only a _medium_ sized box of chocolates! And mind you, this wasn't even the designer kind of chocolates, these were simply your cheap second-hand chocolates you could buy at any common grocery store. Naturally she broke up with him on the spot, and the boy begged her to explain what he'd done wrong, as if he didn't know! Have you _ever_ heard of something so utterly gauche? I ask you."

Kory blinked and forced a weak smile onto her face. "Oh...how...dreadful."

Dick smiled sympathetically at his girlfriend as she patiently sat through yet another diatribe from Veronica. The poor thing, Kory was doing her best to fit in but frankly, he was surprised she'd lasted _this_ long. If it had been anyone other than Starfire listening, Veronica would have been drop-kicked out of the limousine by now...he could only imagine what Raven would have done, probably send her to another dimension where Veronica could talk the ears off whatever creatures resided there. Seeing that Veronica was about to take a breath, Dick took the opportunity to speak up. "So, Bruce, where did you say we were going?" He smiled as he saw the grateful expression on Kory's face in his peripheral vision.

"As a matter of fact, I thought it would be a great idea to take you and Kory to the Rose Cafe."

Dick's eyes widened a bit. "The Rose Cafe, really? But isn't that where-"

"True, there are a few bad memories associated with the place," Bruce said with a nod. "But I'd like to believe that maybe I can make a few good memories to make up for it...plus, Alfred was right about one thing...the food there is exquisite."

"Please, this Rose Cafe," Kory said as she looked between everyone. "What happened there that brings such bad memories?"

Bruce frowned and looked down at the ground, a genuine sadness showing on his face. "The Rose Cafe is where my old friend Harvey Dent was nearly killed by the villainess known as Poison Ivy...if it hadn't been for Batman, Harvey would've died that same night...but the stress of the ordeal took its toll on him. When he learned that the woman he wanted to marry was an insane eco-terrorist bent on pointless revenge...something changed in him, he wasn't as open, he was more easily angered...and over the months that passed, a side of him he'd suppressed came back out...and after the accident that mutilated his face...Harvey was gone, and in his place was Two-Face."

Kory gasped softly as her hand made its way to her mouth. "Oh, I am so sorry."

"Don't feel bad." Bruce looked up and graced the apologetic girl with a small smile. "You couldn't have known. I still have hope for Harvey, I just know he's still in there somewhere."

"I really hope you're right, Bruce." Dick spoke up, a disappointed frown marring his features as he looked up at his caretaker. "I know how close you two were, I'm sure it's not too late."

"Thanks, Dick." Bruce smiled and sat up straight again, slapping his palms against his legs. "But enough bad memories, that's why I'm taking you there after all! To make good ones instead!" Bruce turned to Kory with a raised eyebrow. "Dick's told me a little about you, but I'm curious as to what your plans are for your future, have you made any decisions?"

"As a matter of fact, I-"

"Pardon the interruption, Master Bruce." Alfred suddenly spoke up from the driver's seat. "But we've just arrived and I believe your reservation is for this precise time."

"Thank you, Alfred." Bruce gave another charming smile. "Looks like we'll have to continue this discussion in just a moment."

"Well it's certainly good to know we've made it," Veronica scoffed snobbishly. "I was afraid if it took any longer, I'd faint from starvation. Why, I remember one time when..."

Both Dick and Kory tuned the woman out as she continued babbling about her life stories. Once Dick got out first to help his girlfriend out of the limousine, the disguised Tamaranean gave another quiet gasp as she took in the grandeur of the place: a tall building with a large sign at the door, a long staircase leading up to a set of glass doors with glass windows next to them. "Richard," She whispered. "This place is much more extravagant than the parlor of pizza back home."

"Welcome to the world of the rich on Earth, Star." He whispered back. Dick then followed Bruce and Veronica to the door, making an exaggerated gesture for Kory to go first as he held the door open. He smiled as she giggled on her way through, and they were then greeted by the hostess who instantly recognized Bruce and led them to their table. "Well at least we won't have to wait."

The inside of the cafe's walls were painted in a dark green hue, with cone-shaped lights on the pillars that were next to every table, acting as a way to separate the restaurant into rows. There were nature-based painting scattered sporadically throughout the room, and on each and every table - theirs included - a beautiful red rose sat in a vase. "This place is truly glorious." Kory said in awe as Dick pulled her chair out for her and pushed her towards the table once she sat down. "I wish to thank you, Mr. Wayne, for honoring us with this visit."

"Not at all." Bruce raised a hand and gave a cordial smile. "As far as I'm concerned, a lovely young lady such as yourself should be treated to only the finest things in life. From what I can tell, Dick made an excellent choice when he got together with you, although I'm a little surprised, considering how awkward he was around girls when he was a kid."

Dick glared at him from across the table. "Bruce," He grumbled. "You can't be serious."

But even Kory couldn't help but giggle a little. "Yes, he was quite uncomfortable around me _and_ Rachel when we first met."

"Kory!"

The girl's laughter grew stronger for a moment before she placed a reassuring hand on his lap. "Do not be embarrassed, I too was unsure of how to act around you when we first met, but I am quite pleased with how everything turned out, do you not agree?"

"Yeah, well," Dick crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back in his chair. "I was young and stupid back then, I'm a lot better now."

"Indeed you are." Kory hummed and picked up the menu. "This is quite an impressive list of items!"

Dick suddenly grinned mischievously. "Yeah, you're right, Kory. Heck, you might have to end up ordering a lot, wouldn't wanna miss out on something you like, right?"

"Dick..." Bruce said through his teeth.

"I would not wish to impose on Mr. Wayne's generosity." Kory replied to Dick. "I am sure that one item will suffice."

"Oh nonsense, dear." Veronica scoffed as she waved a dismissive hand. "I'm sure that Bruce can afford an extra item or two, enjoy yourself! After all, you're not exactly native to Gotham, you may as well enjoy all it has to offer, isn't that right, Bruce?"

"No, please," Kory turned to Bruce with an anxious expression. "It truly is not necessary, I do not wish to take advantage!"

But the damage was already done. Bruce sighed and forced a charming smile onto his face. "It's not a problem, Kory. Order as much as you like, it _is_ my treat after all."

"There ya go, babe." Dick grinned victoriously. "See? No problems here." She looked at him strangely, and Dick realized it was because she didn't understand the pet-name he'd used. So he leaned over and pointed at a menu item, redirecting her attention. "Here, why don't you try out this...king salmon belly tartare? It's flavored with pickled mustard seeds, should be a perfect appetizer for you!"

Kory bit her bottom lip uncertainly. "It does sound...appetizing."

"Just order it, dear!" Veronica exclaimed encouragingly. "Heaven knows I've been guilty of indulging myself every once in a blue moon. One extra appetizer won't hurt. After all, how much could a girl your size really eat anyway?"

* * *

"This is incredible." Garfield's eyes were wide with wonder as he beheld the Wayne Animal Sanctuary from the top of the double-decker tour bus they were on, stopping periodically to allow for photos. As soon as they'd arrived, Garfield felt like he was in heaven. Biomes ranging from grassland to tundra stretched out as far as the eye could see, animals like gazelles and zebras roamed perfect duplicates of their native savannah plains, while leopards and white bengal tigers snoozed peacefully in their own rainforest recreations. "Man I wish I could morph right now," He whispered almost to himself as he saw a couple of baby elephants playing with each other. "The stories these guys could tell."

"Bruce has invested a lot in making sure these animals have a safe and comfortable environment to live in," Barbara explained from her spot next to Jason, with Cyborg on the other side of him. "Some of these animals have been rescued from poachers all around the world, and the zoo didn't have the resources needed to make sure they could thrive. So, he stepped up."

"And the Gotham Zoo?" Jason raised an eyebrow. "Dick mentioned they weren't exactly thrilled about this."

Barbara rolled her eyes and scoffed. "That's their problem. Bruce has never been shy about stepping on other people's toes if it meant doing what he feels is right. This is one of those situations where I actually agree with him for once."

"Me too." Garfield grinned and turned back to the animals, and his eyes lit up as he caught sight of a certain animal. "Look, Rae!" He tugged on her arm to turn her around and pointed in the intended direction, blissfully unaware of the glare she was shooting his way. "Black leopards!"

"And...why should I care exactly?"

Garfield turned his head to look at her, chuckling nervously at the glare he now knew he was on the receiving end of. "Well, y'know, in a way you're just like them!" He received nothing more than a raised eyebrow in return. "Like, just take a good look!" He turned towards the large cats again, Rachel doing the same. "They're dark, quiet, they like being secluded if they can help it..." He suddenly felt a cold chill, but he gulped down his anxiety and pressed on. "But they're also graceful, exotic...and darn powerful too. They may look like big cuddly cats from here, but they could tear you to shreds if you ever got on their bad side...they're awesome. Silent, but deadly."

"Yeah, you know what _else_ is silent but deadly?" Victor's joke was quickly cut off as Rachel's head swiveled around and she fixed with a fierce glare that caused the disguised half-robot to sweat-drop with fear. "Never mind."

Then Rachel turned back to Garfield, who had his back turned to her as he seemed intent to focus on the black leopards, even as the bus started moving again and his neck turned to keep his eyes on them. "Gar, why would you tell me that? What was the point?"

"I dunno." He shrugged his shoulders without turning around to face her. "I just...felt like it."

Silence fell over the group after that, and Rachel pulled her hood over her head and curled into herself as the shocked and confused emotions emanated from her friends in waves, and Garfield's mixed feelings weren't helping matters. "Thanks, I guess." She mumbled.

"Is it just me," Jason whispered to Victor. "Or is there something going on with those two that wasn't before?"

Victor rubbed his chin in thought. "I'm startin' to wonder." But then he waved his hand dismissively. "Nah, more like the grass stain got spooked into changin' his tune. Those two are like oil and water."

"You sure about that?" Jason smirked and raised an eyebrow. "From what I can tell, they've been doing a lot of agreeing lately." That got Victor to stare blankly into space, and Jason snorted at the stunned expression on the large man's face. Then the bus came to a stop once more in front of a pride of lions, and as Jason's eyes wandered, he focused in on a lion cub that seemed...off. "Hey, what's goin' on down there?"

The group looked down to where Jason was pointing, and Barbara raised an eyebrow as she turned back to the younger boy. "What? There's nothing happening down there."

But Garfield's eyes narrowed as he looked closer, then they widened in realization. "No, he's right!" He whipped his head around to look at their prisoner. "How'd you notice?!"

"I told you I read a lot."

Garfield smirked and held out his fist for the other boy to give it a bump. "Put 'er there dude, you're alright." It took a few moments of awkward staring on Jason's part, but Garfield's gesture was eventually returned, and he then turned to Victor with a determined expression. "Hey, Cy," He whispered. "Think you can zap up a quick hologram thingy to keep anyone from noticing I'm gone?"

"Why? What're _you_ gonna do?"

"I'm gonna help that lion cub, duh!" Garfield then turned to Rachel and waggled his eyebrows. "Watch this, Rae. You heard of Dr. Dolittle? Well paging Dr. Do _Logan,_ it's time to prep for surgery!" And with that, he quickly took off his ring and morphed into a fly, leaving Victor frantically pressing the hidden buttons on his arm to project an image of the boy who just left to do his work. Once he was close enough to the animals, he transformed into a lion and slowly approached the ailing cub, who immediately ceased its struggling and snarled upon being approached by a stranger to the pride. "Easy there pal," Beast Boy responded in their language. "I'm a friend, I wanna help. What's wrong?"

The cub looked at him strangely, but it hesitantly laid down and raised up its paw. "I stepped on something sharp, I can't get it out."

Beast Boy's lion eyebrows rose, the cub was apparently female judging by the voice. "Can I get a closer look?" He waited for the cub to answer, and as soon as he received a nod, he got closer and he saw what it was. "Looks like a piece of...glass? Where did that come from?"

The next thing he knew, he was being attacked by another, larger lion that was roaring at him with a threatening glare, eyes narrowed and claws extended to slash the meat off his bones. "You will not come any closer, outsider!"

Beast Boy suppressed the urge to gulp, and looking towards the tour bus, he could tell that now he had an audience thanks to the sudden approach of this other lion who was either the cub's father or older brother, he couldn't be bothered to figure it out right now. One problem at a time. "Listen, I'm not here to harm her, my name is Beast Boy, I'm a friend of _all_ animals, and she's hurt. I want to help her...uh, what's _your_ name?"

"I am called Vadim, and I do not trust you!" The lion roared again. "You will leave and never return! My daughter will not be harmed by anyone else! Lion or otherwise!"

Beast Boy would have broken into a cold sweat if lions were capable of doing so; this lion was her father, and he was _angry._ For all he knew, he was the king of the pride, which meant he could have a bunch of lionesses breathing down his neck in a manner of seconds. _"Dr. Dolittle made it seem so easy..."_ He thought nervously. "Your daughter has a piece of glass stuck in her paw, if someone doesn't get it out soon, it could get infected and she could get sick and maybe even die if it goes untreated for too long. I need to get it out."

Vadim growled lowly for a few moments, but then the cub spoke up and got his attention. "It hurts daddy."

"Please," Beast Boy lowered his head and ears, a show of submissiveness to try and appease the snarling father. "I just want to help."

Several long seconds passed, as Vadim looked down on the green stranger. As he allowed himself to ponder, the lion felt this odd sense of calm wash over him, there was something about this stranger, it was as if there was a connection between them, like he was one of them despite clearly being an outsider based on his appearance. Finally, Vadim stepped aside and allowed the green one to approach his daughter. "What will you do?"

Beast Boy didn't answer right away, as he laid down next to the cub to get a closer look. It was a fairly small piece, not too deep into her skin but deep enough to be a problem...and definitely deep enough that no lion would be able to get it out. "It's too deep." Beast Boy slowly got up to face the father. "Listen, don't freak out...but the reason they call me Beast Boy? I can change into any animal I want...I'm going to change into a monkey so I can safely pull out the glass."

Vadim looked at the green one with suspicious eyes. "You speak strangely, outsider."

"Just bear with me...or lion with me...heh heh." Seeing that Vadim was not amused, Beast Boy just gulped and transformed into an olive baboon, much to the shock of both lions as they each gave a stunned roar. "E-Easy! Easy! It's still me! I needed opposable thumbs to get the glass out!" He waited for the lions to calm down again before he moved in to reach for the glass. "So..." He said as he held the cub's paw up. "What's _your_ name?"

"Sanem."

"Nice to meet you, Sanem. I'm Beast Boy." Beast Boy gave the girl a toothy baboon grin, which got her to laugh a little at the face. "Now I want you to close your eyes, and talk to me about something you really like, okay?"

"Why?"

"Just trust me."

"Okay..." Sanem closed her eyes and obeyed the request. "Well, I really like playing with my daddy, and my mommy teaches me things, like how to be sneaky when we approach prey, although usually our food comes from the human trainers...although last time, that's when I stepped on this sharp thing."

Beast Boy's eyebrows crinkled. "Is that so?"

"Yeah...are you gonna take it out?"

"I already did."

"What?" Sanem opened her eyes and looked down at her paw, and sure enough the glass shard had been removed, with Beast Boy holding it in his baboon hand. "Wow, that didn't even hurt! Thank you!"

"No problem." Beast Boy laughed when Sanem lunged towards him and knocked him over, rubbing her head against him. "Hey, it was my pleasure!" Once she stepped back, Beast Boy gave her a serious look. "Sanem, I need to ask you something. Where did you step on this?"

Sanem's smile faded and she gestured towards the corner of their boundary. "It was over there."

"Okay. I need you to not go back there again, there might be more of those." He then morphed back into a lion and turned to Vadim. "Let's go over there, I need to make sure this doesn't happen again." The determination blazed in Beast Boy's lion eyes, and Vadim gave him a curt nod and led the changeling over to the corner of the habitat, where Beast Boy let out a growl when he saw the pile of glass shards. "This isn't just glass...these are beer bottles, one or more of the caretakers here are getting drunk and just dumping their trash here!" Beast Boy actually turned to glare at Vadim. "How have none of you noticed?!"

"Keep your place, one called Beast Boy." Vadim growled back. "I am grateful to you for helping my daughter, but do not assume we are friends."

"Sorry." Beast Boy snorted and looked away in frustration. "Okay, I'm going to do something about this. Make sure no one in your pride comes near here, I know someone who will make sure the one who did this is punished for being so careless."

"That is a cause I support. I will do as you request."

With a quick nod, Beast Boy morphed into a falcon and left Vadim behind, swooping high enough into the sky that he would be out of eyeshot of the people below who'd seen him do his work. Then, he morphed into a fly and zipped back down to the bus where his friends were still sitting. Victor looked frustrated as he tried to stay as still as possible in order to not disturb the hologram's stability, Jason was speaking to Rachel about something, and Barbara was apparently texting someone from what he could tell. _"Hope they're not too mad at me."_ He hovered in front of Rachel's face for a moment, and it didn't take long for her eyes to focus on him, and when they did, they narrowed a bit and she scoffed, reaching for his discarded ring and placing it right next to his holographic double. _"Yep, they're mad."_

"Just make it quick, Gar." Rachel whispered.

Beast Boy landed next to the ring, and with a tiny fly-sized grunt of exertion, he sprouted a human hand and slid the ring on to one of the fingers, allowing it to activate before he fully morphed back to human. "Phew, that was tough."

"Since when can you do that?" Victor asked as he deactivated the hologram.

"Been practicing." Garfield replied as he adjusted the ring to fit more comfortably. "Cardiac got an eight-armed punch when he jumped me during the Brother of Evil's ambush, but it's not easy for me to morph one part at a time." He shook his head. "But anyway, we have bigger problems. Turns out, one of the caretakers here are dumping empty beer bottles in the exhibits, and the animals could be in danger. We can't leave until we tell someone to do something about it."

"That's not our place." Rachel said defiantly. "Besides, Bruce told us to stay out of trouble, you've _already_ blown that since everyone saw you as Beast Boy in the exhibit, now you wanna go in there snarling and calling for heads to roll? That's not exactly keeping a low profile."

"Well if I've already blown it, I don't see the point in pretending it didn't happen!" Garfield shot back at her. "Those animals need to be protected, and one of those caretakers is being a huge jerk and putting them in danger! We need to do _something!"_

"Don't those communicators of yours have a text function?" Jason asked. "Just message Dick and let Bruce sort it out."

"Dude, you're two for two!" Garfield exclaimed excitedly as he raised his hand up. "Up top!" The two exchanged high-fives, with Jason much less hesitant to reciprocate the gesture this time. Then Garfield pulled his communicator out of his pocket and started texting frantically, pausing a moment to address his friends. "Look, I wanna apologize for taking off like that without warning...it's just, after reading that book, it kinda inspired me I guess. I wanna help animals too, talk to them."

Their expressions softened a bit, including Rachel's. "I guess I can't begrudge you for being inspired by something you read, I'm actually glad it had such an impact on you." She said with a small smile. "Although...I have to ask...how did you communicate with the lions if you were morphed into a monkey?"

"Baboon, more specifically, and..." Garfield froze and stared blankly into space for a few moments. "I...I don't know." He turned to Rachel. "How _did_ I do that?"

"Maybe...the older you get, the more your powers mature?" Rachel suggested.

"Maybe...still, I was never able to do that before...I wonder what else I could do if I tried..."

"We'll get you checked out as soon as we get back to the tower." Victor said reassuringly. "You feel anything weird?"

"Well...no, not really."

"Any feelings of obnoxiousness or sudden craving to eat a juicy hamburger?"

Garfield glared at Victor. "Not funny."

"Alright, just checkin' man." Victor raised his hands in surrender. "Let's just finish up this tour, tell Dick about the issue here, get the museum over with..." Victor rubbed his hands together with excitement. "And then head to the mechanic so I can get to work on finding ways to upgrade my baby!"

The others rolled their eyes. "Somehow," Barbara sighed to herself. "I get the feeling Dick got the better end of this deal."

* * *

"Good Lord, you would think she hasn't eaten in months!"

Both Veronica and Bruce could only watched in stunned awe as Kory emptied plate after plate of food, with all the grace that was expected of her of course. After helping herself to the tartare, her nine stomachs had all started growling with a desire for more, and so she wound up ordering more than the rest of the table combined, much to Dick's amusement. "I am not sure which I liked more, the candied braised bacon, or the savoy cabbage pancake...and then there is this lovely saffron pappardelle which was also quite delightful!"

"I think that's one of the few things you got that didn't have mustard as an ingredient." Dick chuckled, shooting a quick mischievous glance at Bruce before giving his attention back to his girlfriend. "How about that braised beef cheek? Is it better than the pink lady apple salad?"

"Oh, I cannot choose between them, Richard! They are both so different!"

"Kory, dear..." Veronica said slowly as she wiped her mouth with her napkin and placed it back on her lap. "Forgive me if I come off as rude, but...when I asked how much someone like you could eat, I didn't expect for you to take it as a personal challenge!"

"Oh..." Kory blushed and lowered her head in embarrassment. "I..."

"She's got a pretty high metabolism!" Dick spoke up for her. "Yeah, she can eat more than pretty much anyone I know, only my friend Victor beats her out, we take bets on who wins all the time...so far it's sixty-forty in Vic's favor, but it's never easy for him!" Then a beeping sound went off in Dick's pocket, much to Dick's discomfort as Bruce gave him a glare from across the table. "Heh, excuse me, gotta take this." He pulled out his phone and checked the message. "Oh, it's a text from-"

"Beast Boy?!"

Dick whipped his head around in horror at Kory's sudden shout. "Kory, what-" But then he looked and saw she was staring up at something, and he turned to look for himself; there was a television playing a news broadcast...and the story being reported was of an apparent sighting of Beast Boy at the Wayne Animal Sanctuary. "Oh God..."

"Say, isn't that one of those Teen Titans that works with Robin?" Veronica asked once she saw the report for herself. "I'd heard that Robin was back in Gotham, I didn't know that his entire team had followed him here."

"I'd heard about that." Bruce again shot Dick a pointed glare while Veronica wasn't looking. "I got a text from Barbara who's there with Dick's friends, apparently Beast Boy was there. What was _your_ text message, Dick?"

After regaining his composure, Dick cleared his throat and glanced down at his phone. Well uh...it's from...my friend Gar. He says basically the same thing, he was there taking the tour when _Beast Boy_ of all people suddenly showed up and took some glass from the paw of a lion cub...apparently it was from a beer bottle."

"What?" Bruce's eyes widened. "Well I won't stand for that, I'll have to check into that immediately." His forehead crinkled again. "I just hope Beast Boy didn't get too involved, if he did, it may limit what I can do to fix this."

"He's a professional superhero." Dick replied with his arms crossed as he leaned back in his chair. "I'm sure he was careful."

"Yes, I have heard much about Beast Boy." Kory spoke up and nodded at her boyfriend before turning back to Bruce. "He has a very strong passion for the animals he transforms into, I am positive he would not do anything to put them in harm's way."

"Well I certainly hope you're right." Bruce pasted a smile back onto his face and turned to his own date for the day. "Say, Veronica, what do you say we go down to Bergduff's Department Store and do a little bit of shopping? I'm sure that you and Kory will love checking out the latest fashion trends."

"That's a great idea, Bruce!" Veronica turned to Kory with a big grin on her face. "As a matter of fact, I've been _dying_ to get a look at the latest fashion line from this new up and coming designer, her name is Lana Lang and the styles that she's put together are so unique! She could very well be the next Donna Day if you ask me! She's still fairly new so maybe she could use some models to spearhead her designs, maybe _you_ could do that!"

"Oh!" Kory's eyes widened and she glanced at Dick, who gave her a discreet nod in response. Then she turned back to Veronica and returned the smile. "That would be...quite an opportunity! Yes, let us go and see these designs after we have finished our meal." She turned back to Dick. "You do not mind taking a detour to the store of clothing?"

"No, of course not! Should be fun!" Dick smiled when Kory beamed at him and went back to finishing her food, but then he spotted Bruce in his peripheral vision, and he turned his head slightly to see him staring him down with an arched eyebrow. Dick internally groaned at the impending conversation; Bruce had left one rule: stay out of trouble, and thanks to Beast Boy, their very first stop in Gotham had already seen them break it. _"I get the feeling Babs got the better end of this deal."_

* * *

Once the tour was over, Barbara drove the Titans and their prisoner over to DeLarue's Wax Museum, which as Dick promised, had set up an entire section dedicated to some of the most powerful users of magic in known history, both fabled and factual. Recreations of some of the rumored items were also strewn about in display cases, with brief descriptions of each based on the studies done of them, most notably provided by the likes of Jason Blood, a world-renowned occultist with knowledge of nearly every magical item known to mankind.

"Hey, Gar," Rachel said with a smirk as she pointed to a green cat in a display case. "The Jade Gato, kinda looks like you in cat form doesn't it?"

Garfield raised an eyebrow at that. "Alright, I'll bite. What's it supposed to do?"

"According to legend," Rachel said as she leaned down to read the description label. "The Jade Gato has mystical properties that brings long life and good luck." She turned her head to smirk at him again. "Too bad it's only a replica, you could probably use a little luck in your life."

"You know that was almost a compliment," Garfield deadpanned. "Until that last part."

"Don't believe it." Barbara suddenly caught their attention as she walked up to them, scowling at the Jade Gato staring at her from the display case. "That thing's nothing but trouble. Good luck my butt, all it did was turn me into an _actual_ cat while I was tracking down Catwoman. She spent three years tracking it down, and another three trying to figure out how to steal it."

"And did you catch her?" Garfield asked.

"Well..." Barbara raised her finger in rebuttal, but then lowered it again as the event flashed back in her mind. "Yeah, I did, but not before she took me to her home to be one of her new pets! And that was _after_ I had to cling from a rooftop for my life!"

"Sounds like the Jade Gato saved you and then put you in a perfect position to make your collar." Garfield grinned and turned back to Rachel. "I take it back, I'm flattered it reminds you of yours truly."

"Did you miss the part where I almost spent the rest of my life as the pet of a wanted felon?"

"Dude, I turn into an animal all the time." Garfield scoffed. "There are worse fates than being someone's cat. You'd be fed, taken care of, and all the snuggles you could ever want." Garfield blinked when he realized what he'd said, and he looked between the two women who were staring at him blankly. "Not that uh...I _want_ that or anything, heh heh." He scratched the back of his neck bashfully and walked away to go look at another artifact, leaving Rachel and Barbara to themselves.

"He go off on tangents like that all the time?" Barbara asked.

"It's kinda his thing." Rachel shrugged and moved to another display, this one of a repulsive yellow creature with a red outfit and a black cape. "The demon, Etrigan. I'm surprised to see him getting representation, I figured Jason Blood wouldn't want his alter ego to be known about."

Barbara's eyes widened and she leaned in to whisper to her new friend. "You know about Etrigan?! How?!"

"I'm half-demon, my father is Trigon the Terrible, I'm sure Batman told you about that." She responded as she moved to another section, Barbara following closely. "The entire concept of Hell, Tartarus, whatever you wanna call it, it's all real. The best way I can describe it is that there are different factions of the same place. Trigon, Satan, Hades, Hel, if they weren't so disgustingly evil, they'd probably be the kind of beings who'd play poker with each other on Saturday nights while regaling each other with tales of how they torment their latest victims. Etrigan was one of the worst demons of them all, but when Merlin tied him to Blood's soul as punishment for betraying King Arthur in favor of his lust for Morgaine Le Fay, he basically became a good guy by default since Blood's mission is to atone for his crime and hunt down Le Fay for all of eternity."

Barbara shivered with revulsion. "That's a lot more than what Bruce told me about him."

"It's not exactly common knowledge." Rachel looked down at the ground as she walked. "Honestly, I try not to think about it too much. My background isn't one I'm proud of, but it's not something I can change either. I may have sealed my father away from this dimension forever, but his blood still courses through my veins, I know a lot about the secrets of the underworld by default as a result."

"That must be hard."

"It is..." Rachel looked up and relinquished a tiny smile. "But, I've gotten better over the years. My friends have helped pull me out of my shell, take my thoughts out of the darkness. Beast Boy in particular has a tendency to drag me into things regardless of whether I want him to or not. He drives me crazy, but I suppose in a way, I owe him for always trying to make sure I'm included. He's helped me become more human, for lack of a better term."

Barbara smiled. "Sounds like you really care about him."

"I suppose I do." Rachel shrugged. "But I care about _all_ my friends. They're more family to me than Trigon or even my own mother at this point."

"Nooo that's not what I meant." Barbara's smile shifted into a sly smirk. "I was thinking more along the lines of-"

"Duuudes! Check this out!"

Garfield's sudden shout got everyone's attention, and the entire group came running from varying directions to see what was up. "What happened?!" Victor exclaimed as he looked around warily.

"There's a whole section on Batman here!"

The team groaned in exasperation. "Man, next time you wanna get our attention, just tap us on the shoulder or somethin', seriously." Victor grumbled as he walked past Garfield, the others following closely behind him. "Although now that I think about it, Batman approved this?" Victor glanced at Barbara, his thumb pointed at the wax statue of Batman.

"Actually, he hates it." Barbara giggled. "But he can't exactly do anything about it since his identity is a secret." She walked over to her statue, looking it up and down with narrowed eyes. "Feel like the makers of these figures took some creative liberties though, I am _not_ that busty."

"Typical men." Rachel scoffed.

"Hey, don't lump us all together." Victor raised his hands up. "Some of us have respect for the fairer sex."

"Is that code for not having game?" Jason snarked as he walked past them, forcing Garfield to snort back a laugh that probably would've earned him a swirlie later. Jason kept going until he ran into the statues of Batman's rogues gallery, figures of the Joker, Two-Face, Poison Icy, the Riddler, Clayface, Bane and others all stood in a line, staring blankly at nothing. "Bunch of losers...wonder which one of these monsters killed my parents."

"You said you didn't wanna know." Garfield said as he walked up next to him.

"I did...doesn't mean I don't get curious from time to time." Jason sighed. "With all the superfreaks I've seen, it's hard _not_ to be tempted to just go and out and..." He cut himself off as he clenched his fists. "It doesn't matter. There's nothing I can do." He stared up at the statue of Bane and grit his teeth. "Being a thief is one thing...but a cold-blooded killer like this piece of garbage, I wish they'd get what's coming to them."

The next thing Jason knew, he was picked up by his waist in both of the "statue's" hands, while Garfield was kicked across the room, much to the shock of the Titans. "So you consider me garbage? A cold-blooded killer?" The obviously real Bane chortled. "Perhaps you should be taught a lesson, the hard way."

"Aww man," Victor groaned. "Now I'll never get to upgrade my baby."

* * *

 **A/N: Dun dun duuuun, looks like the Titans have finally run into trouble, next chapter stands to be action packed! Also, just for a few references for those who need it, Barbara's story is something that actually happened in a DCAU Gotham Girls short called "Lap Bat," you can check it out on YouTube if you're curious enough to watch it for yourself.**

 **Veronica Vreeland is indeed an old friend of Bruce's throughout the DCAU, most famously known for dating the Penguin just for laughs and accidentally getting kidnapped by Harley Quinn after her first real attempt to go straight went horribly wrong.**

 **Now then...to address something that's come to my attention. The next time I update, it will not be this story. I have seen people getting...shall we say impatient, regarding AAML: D &P, so I'm going to make sure I get that story updated next. Then I'll probably come back to this one because I really wanna keep going with this new passion project of mine.**

 **So, with all that said and done, please leave a review and tell me what you thought of this newest chapter! Things are gonna start flying in the next one, so stay tuned!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Wow it's been a while. Well, I've been busy. I've finally graduated from college, hallelujah! No more classes, no more books, well you know the rest lol. Now it's on to the job hunt, hopefully it doesn't take me too long to latch on somewhere. So yeah, I've been understandably busy, add to that a bit of writer's block and you've got a real recipe for slow progress.**

 **But at last I have returned with another update, and I hope it lives up to your expectations!**

 **vi: I'm glad to see your enthusiasm has not worn off lol.**

 **So without further ado, on with the show! I own nothing except the story.**

* * *

Chaos erupted at the wax museum on a scale that had never been seen before. As soon as it became obvious that the notorious supervillain known as Bane had somehow managed to bypass security and pretend to be one of the wax figures, visitors started running out in droves as security officers raised their weapons to try and stop the brutish thug.

If only he didn't have a young boy hostage.

"I will repeat myself only once more." The masked man announced. "Bring me Batman and his boy, so that they may feel the full wrath of Bane!"

"If feeling your wrath means you're gonna make them smell your breath, then that's a fate that not even the _Joker_ deserves!" Jason's reward for that bit of sass was Bane squeezing him even tighter, driving the air out of his lungs and leaving him nearly completely out of breath as he gasped for what little oxygen he could get. "Kill me in plain sight," He choked out. "And you won't even make it to jail! I'm pretty sure the death penalty is still a thing!"

"Bold of you to assume that I fear death." Bane chortled. "Your bravery is admirable, but also foolish."

"And so is yours."

The new voice caused Bane to look behind him, and the next thing he saw was the wax figure of Batgirl hurtling towards him faster than he could react. The statue slammed into his face, causing him to drop Jason and look around for the source of the sudden assault. "Who dares?"

 _"I_ dare." Raven appeared in a swirl of black magic, now dressed in her regular uniform, and she immediately grabbed hold of another statue, heaving it towards Bane who simply reeled back his fist and shattered the wax without much of a challenge. "Guess you're as strong as you are arrogant."

"I know you." Bane started stepping forward, swatting away objects that Raven tossed at him as she backed away to keep her distance. "You are one of the Teen Titans, one of the boy's teammates. Very good, that means he cannot be far behind. I will draw him out..." Bane had finally cornered Raven, who had run out of room to back off, and he leaned in closely to chortle in her face. "By destroying you."

Raven just smirked. "Sorry, but Robin's busy right now, you'll just have to settle for the rest of us."

Bane raised an eyebrow, then gasped when Raven fell through a dark portal and disappeared into it. "What sorcery is-" Bane then grunted out a breath when a bull appeared out of nowhere and slammed him into the wall, then it turned into a gorilla and lifted him into the air to toss him through that same wall, leaving a massive hole. "More of you Titans," Bane hummed as he got back to his feet. "Perhaps now, you shall pose a challenge."

"I think you've bitten more than you can chew!" The blast of a Sonic Cannon threw Bane through yet another wall, this time sending him outside the museum and into the street, as Cyborg ran in and chased after his target, his fists clenched and ready to fight. "I dunno what your deal is, and I don't care. You ain't gonna terrorize civilians while _we're_ around!" Cyborg was quickly flanked by his teammates who appeared next to him, and the half-robot immediately ran in with his fist reeled back for a punch.

Which Bane caught with his hand, much to Cyborg's shock. "You are strong, but still no match for me." Bane whipped his arm back, lifting the half-robot into the air and slamming him into the pavement. With a quick kick, Cyborg was sent rolling across the ground back to his teammates. "As much as I would enjoy teaching you children a lesson in pain, I do have a target to confirm. If you would be so kind as to summon your leader, I may be willing to spare your lives."

"Not gonna happen, dude, we beat guys bigger than you before breakfast!"

Bane smirked at the green one's defiance, and lifted his wrist where a small device was attached. "Then perhaps, I should make myself more similar to the opponents you're used to. Though, I think you'll find you wished you had kept your statement unspoken."

"Oh yeah? Is that...so..."

The Titans watched in shock as Bane twisted the knob on the device on his wrist, and almost instantly, the man's muscle mass seemed to double as a strange liquid flowed into his brain; veins bulged from every muscle on his body, and Bane roared with power as he flexed his arms and charged forward like a raging rhino.

"Titans, go!" Cyborg led the charge against the massive thug, unleashing a blast from his Sonic Cannon. Bane ignored it, and the resulting crunch that came from inside Cyborg's circuits after Bane slammed both of his massive fists into his chest caused both Beast Boy and Raven to cringe. Cyborg picked himself up off the ground, growling as he went on the offensive again with a barrage of punches. Again, Bane simply deflected each attack without so much as a flinch, the venom in his bloodstream making him almost numb to his opponent.

Then Cyborg got in a lucky punch to the man's jaw that sent him flying through the air.

"Nice goin', Cy!" Beast Boy pumped a fist in victory, but it quickly turned to disbelief as Bane got up and lifted up two cars, one with each arm. "Dude, is this guy even human?!"

Cars began flying as Bane tossed vehicle after vehicle into the air, most towards bystanders who hadn't found an opportunity to escape. Raven responded immediately, reaching out with as much magic as she could without chanting her mantra to focus herself; there wouldn't have been time to do so. She grit her teeth under the strain, her eyes glowing white with the amount of magic she was having to expel just to keep up with Bane's heartless barrage. "Stop him!" She finally grounded out.

Beast Boy's heart lurched seeing Raven fight so hard. With new resolve, he morphed into a leopard and sprinted towards the massive fighter, before quickly turning into a sasquatch and using both fists to strike another blow to Bane's chin before he could react. Bane's head snapped back and he staggered, leaving an opening for Beast Boy to morph into a kangaroo. He kicked off of Bane's stomach without much impact, then with the extra distance, morphed again, this time into a falcon as he lowered his talons to slash at his face.

He was forced to swoop back up when Bane reached out to grab him. _"That was close!"_

As the battle raged on, Barbara and Jason watched from a nearby rooftop, out of Bane's line of sight. Barbara's fists clenched anxiously as the Titans fought to hold their own against the massive brute, and she gave a silent cheer when Cyborg leaped in and tackled Bane to the ground.

That quickly turned into worry when Bane retaliated by slamming his fists into Cyborg's back, then whirled him around like a tornado, throwing him into a nearby building. "They don't have any idea how to fight him!"

"Well _you_ probably do, go help them!"

Barbara whipped her head around to glare fiercely at Jason. "Don't you think I would have if I could? There's one little detail that's kept me on the sidelines. You!"

"Me?!"

 _"Of course_ you! Hello?! You're the Titans' prisoner! I leave you alone and you'll probably just take off running and who knows when they'll catch you again!"

Jason scoffed and crossed his arms, his back slouched in disgust. "So much for a fair chance." A shout of pain from below dragged them out of their argument, Beast Boy had just been sent flying into the sky, only to land hard on the roof of a car which was now badly dented from the impact. "They're getting clobbered down there."

"Where the heck is Raven?!" Barbara looked around frantically for any signs of the sorceress, and finally her eyes locked on to Raven, apparently attempting to help people out of some of the cars that Bane had thrown around earlier. "Oh great, more innocent bystanders." Then the sound of creaking metal caused Barbara to turn back to the fight, and she saw Cyborg and Bane facing each other in a standoff, the half-robot's fists clenched tightly in Bane's hands as they fought for supremacy. Cyborg slowly going to his knees caused Barbara to growl in frustration and turn back to Jason. "Alright, kid. You wanted a fair chance? Then here it is!" Barbara pulled off her purse, and reached inside to pull out none other than her tightly folded Batgirl costume. "I've gotta help them. If you _really_ want a second chance, then prove it! I expect you to be right here when we get back. If not, then I will _personally_ see to it that you're hunted down like a true criminal. Trust me, there won't be a place in the world you can hide from me."

Jason didn't get the chance to respond, as Barbara leaped down into the nearby alley, and moments later, she emerged as Batgirl to jump into the fray, tossing batarangs in an attempt to throw Bane off and let go of Cyborg before more damage could be done. For the first time since his capture, Jason was alone...and temptation began to set in. He could easily slip away and no one would notice until it was too late. His heart raced at the thought, he could go back to being on the run and living his life the only way he knew how. He'd have to give up the Red X suit, but that was a small price to pay for his freedom. "Exit stage right." He turned to leave.

"Beast Boy, look out!"

"Yow!"

And Jason stopped in his tracks, the sound of battle below and Beast Boy's shouts of pain echoing in his ears, and the niggling of his conscience in his heart turning him back towards the Titans. "Shhhhoot," He swung his clenched fists down in frustration. "Why'd you have to be so doggone nice?" As he leaned back over the edge of the roof, he observed Beast Boy trying to approach Bane in the form of a tiger, and Raven had finally joined the fray while Cyborg took a break to try and do some repairs after taking a beating. Batgirl on the other hand seemed to be trying to get around the massive assassin to get behind him, but Bane was refusing to allow that. "He seems awfully protective of his backside..." Bane then grabbed an abandoned truck and swung it around, forcing the team to back off, though Raven took a hit and got sent flying. "Dude's a beast..." His eyes narrowed for a moment, and then they widened as he had an epiphany. "That tube in the back of his head, it must be powering him up! But if they can't get behind him..."

"No more Mr. Nice Guy!"

Jason was pulled out of his musings when Beast Boy suddenly transformed into a tyrannosaurus rex and roared as loud as possible, nearly bursting Jason's eardrums as Beast Boy was now right next to him. He froze when Beast Boy glanced at him and seemed to stop in his tracks as their eyes locked. For a brief moment, Jason swore Beast Boy grinned at him with his t-rex teeth. For whatever reason, he and the green changeling had hit it off; he was the only one besides Starfire who seemed willing to take him at his word, no questions asked. Then when Beast Boy roared in pain, Jason's mind rebooted, and he observed Bane punching at Beast Boy's leg; dinosaur or not, Bane was super strong and it had to hurt. Batgirl was desperately trying to get close enough to get to the tube in his head, but still to no avail as he used his other arm to keep Batgirl from getting a good angle.

"I've gotta do something!" His eyes fired up with determination, and as he looked around, he spotted something in the distance that prompted an idea. "That should work as a distraction. Hang on guys, time for Red X to play the hero!"

* * *

"Inspired, truly inspired...Bruce, I tell you, if you're smart, you'll invest in that young lady's fashion line while she's still relatively undiscovered."

"If you say so, Veronica, I'll definitely take it under consideration." Bruce's false smile remained firmly in place as he and Dick watched Veronica and Kory browse through the latest fashions set by Lana Lang's brand. While a small part of him was glad to see Kory legitimately enjoying herself for once - evidenced by the genuine laughter and looseness of her shoulders, the bat in him was screeching at Dick, who he could tell was nowhere near as relaxed as Kory was. "Have you tried to contact Beast Boy yet?" He quietly said through the side of his mouth.

Dick's shoulders tensed further, his mouth compressed into a thin line. "I texted him back, told him to be careful." He grumbled back as he glanced up at the taller man. "I dunno what else you want, he's a hero who saw that something was wrong and he went in to fix it, and he managed to not blow his cover. You realize that he basically saved you from a PR nightmare, right? Imagine if one of your animals got _seriously_ injured because of that one person's irresponsibility, at least now you know you need to investigate."

"It's not just that, it's-"

"Bruce, what do you think of this?"

Veronica walked up holding a solid purple skater dress in front of her, forcing Bruce to think fast for a response. "It looks great, Veronica, but then again you know how bad I am with this sort of thing."

"Yes, yes," She rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "Alfred takes care of all that for you." Veronica then glanced at Dick. "Please tell me that you have more fashion sense than he does."

Dick smirked at Bruce before answering. "Well considering my girlfriend is working to become a model, I don't really have much of a choice." He said with a laugh.

"Richard, is this dress not simply glorious?" Now Kory joined the group, holding up a dress of her own, a long, pink dress with a slit for the left thigh. "Perhaps I should go and try it on?"

"Honey, no." Veronica sighed and shook her head, much to Kory's dismay. "Redheads like us can't wear pink, it makes us look...blotchy. Only blondes can wear pink."

Kory's face sunk and she turned to Dick with a stricken expression. "You did not tell me my dress made me look blotchy on the night of the prom."

Dick's mind raced with possible answers to give. As far as he was concerned, Kory looked positively stunning that night she crashed Kitten's prom to keep an eye on him while the rest of the Titans went after Killer Moth...but then again, she wasn't hiding under a holo-ring that night. She had been fully on display as Starfire, her golden skin and glowing green eyes giving her an ethereal appearance in the pale moonlight. The pink dress had worked then, he didn't know how it would look on her human alter-ego. "Well, I didn't think it did, I thought you looked amazing."

"And that's how you know it's true love," Veronica laughed. "Love is indeed blind." She turned to Kory, who was still frowning in disappointment. "Kory, trust me when I say this, you are a stunning girl, but if you want to become a model, one of the first rules you'll have to learn is that there are some looks you simply won't be able to pull off, and there are some colors that just don't work with your hair color and skin tone."

"But...I _adore_ the color pink."

"Well..." Veronica tapped her chin in thought. "If you considered dyeing your hair blonde, _maybe_ pink would work for you."

"Don't even think about it!" Dick's outburst caught everyone's attention, and he rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment. "I-It's just that...I... _like_ her hair the way it is."

"And so do I."

The new voice diverted their attention once more, and from the front of the store they saw a young woman of average height walking over to them, and just like the other two ladies present, she also had red hair and green eyes. "Us redheads gotta stick together, am I right?"

"Excuse me," Veronica raised a suspicious eyebrow. "But who are _you?"_

"Well now that's just disappointing," the woman pouted. "You two are holding the L.L. brand name and you don't even recognize me? Guess I should work on marketing myself a little better."

"Wait... _you're_ Lana Lang?" Veronica's eyes widened. _"You're_ the one who designed this fabulous dress?"

"And many others like it, you should just see what kind of ideas I've got rattling around in here." Lana tapped her temple with her finger before turning to Kory specifically. "Now then, what's all this about you not being able to wear pink?"

"Well..." Kory said hesitantly. "Miss Vreeland said that wearing pink would make me look...blotchy."

"Is that so?" Lana smirked at Veronica for a moment. "Well, she's right." Kory's frown deepened at that. "Sometimes, redheads end up looking washed out or too bright depending on the color they wear...but as for _you,_ kiddo..." Lana placed a hand on Kory's shoulder. "I think _you_ could pull it off, why don't we go and find out firsthand?"

Kory's eyes lit up so bright, they almost showed through the hologram. "Oh, please yes!"

"Love the enthusiasm, and a terrific smile too." Lana smirked and looked over her shoulder. "You gentlemen don't mind if I take her off your hands for a few moments, do you?"

"Not at all, take your time." Bruce answered with a friendly wave. "Why don't you go too, Veronica? Miss Lang can probably help you find something a lot easier than I ever could."

"That's one of your better ideas, Bruce." Veronica laughed. "I think I will."

As the three women walked off to the fittings rooms, Dick's smile morphed into a frown as he glared up at Bruce. "Ohhhh you're good, got rid of them so you can continue your interrogation."

Bruce's smile dropped as well, his voice shifting back to the Batman side of his persona as he whispered. "It's not an interrogation, I'm concerned that your team might bring unwanted attention to Gotham."

"How? The only one who would bother to come after us here in Gotham is Slade, anyone else in our rogues gallery would rather take their chances with Titans Europe than follow us all the way here just to pick a fight."

"Gotham isn't Jump City, Dick. _Your_ villains may be content to stay put, but I'm sure the likes of the Riddler or Poison Ivy would love to test your team or use them as bait in one of their schemes. We should try to minimize the risks we take while you're here."

"It was only Beast Boy, and no one saw him change out of his disguise." Dick sighed and shook his head in exasperation. "This is easy to explain away. Your animal sanctuary is right up his alley, and as a hero, if he caught wind that animals were being mistreated or neglected, accidentally or otherwise, he would feel the need to investigate, and he did."

"There's more than just the hero side of things to consider, there's also-"

"Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson, what an unexpected surprise!"

The new voice prompted them to quickly paste on their practiced smiles, evidently it was time to do what they came out into public to do. "Vicki's been following us since the restaurant." Bruce said before he turned around. "Vicki, good to see you again." Bruce said with a charming lilt in his voice. "I was wondering when you'd finally come out and talk to us."

"Why, Bruce," Vicki Vale said with a smirk. "Are you implying that I've been stalking you all this time?"

"Not at all, but I've talked with you enough to know that you can't resist a good story, and the one you got yesterday probably needed a follow-up."

"Well, now that you mention it." Vicki grinned and pulled a recorder out of her jeans pocket. "I can't help but be curious about that gorgeous girlfriend of yours, Dick. Or maybe even fiancée?"

"We're not engaged, no." Dick shook his head. "We're still way too young for that, but that doesn't mean we won't end up becoming engaged in the future. I really do love her."

"So why the rings then, hmmmm?"

Dick had to force his eye to not twitch in annoyance. "Didn't Gar already explain that story yesterday? We _all_ have rings."

"Just wanted to clarify, after all I wouldn't wanna print something inaccurate."

"Of course not."

While the men continued to be grilled by Vicki, the rest of the women had made it to the fitting rooms, where Lana and Veronica were waiting outside for Kory to come out in the now infamous pink dress. "Are you certain this'll work? I was told all my life that redheads in pink were a bad idea!"

Lana rolled her eyes before placing a hand on her chest haughtily, a smug grin on her face. "I am all about challenging the norms; trust me, she's going to look great."

"Okay, I am ready." Kory's voice came from the other end of the fitting room door, and seconds later, she walked out with her hands behind her back, a nervous expression on her face. "So? Do I look...blotchy?"

"Good Lord, no." Lana started circling Kory with a wide grin. "Kiddo, I've never seen anyone pull off this look quite like you do." She kneeled down to brush her hands against the fabric. "Slit could use some adjusting and maybe a lower cut around the chest, but as for the color? It's totally you."

Kory's eyes lit up like stars. "Thank you so much, Miss Lang!"

"Alright, I admit it, I was wrong." Veronica added. "Redheads _can_ wear pink, that dress looks absolutely _gorgeous_ on you, Kory. Now you just have to convince Dick to let you have it."

"Ah," Lana raised a hand. "Not necessary, it's on the house."

"Truly?!"

"On one condition."

Kory frowned slightly. "What is this condition?"

"I want you to try on a few more designs of mine, think you have some time to spare?"

Again the joyous expression returned to Kory's face. "Absolutely! I would be most honored!"

"Perfect!" Lana grinned. "Stay right there, beautiful, and I'll be right back with some designs I think you'd look stunning in." True to her word, Lana came back a few minutes later with dresses, tops, pants, and even a few swimsuits all on hangars. "Boy this takes me back, reminds me of the shopping sprees I'd go on with my girlfriends back in high school."

"You know, Lana," Veronica spoke up. "It just so happens that Kory and I were discussing the possibility of her becoming a model."

"Ya don't say?" Lana smiled and grabbed Kory by the arm, practically tossing her into the fitting room with one of her dresses, closing the door behind the stunned girl. "Go ahead and try that one on, I have a good feeling about it." She then turned to Veronica. "As for _you,_ why don't you go and find something you think you'd look good in, I think you have a stronger sense of fashion and you don't need me to hold your hand."

"Well, I'm too modest to boast." Veronica chuckled with a haughty undertone. "I'll be right back!"

"Can't wait!" Once Veronica was out of earshot, Lana dropped her smile and stifled a groan. "Thought she'd never leave. Ugh, airhead." Then moments later, Kory emerged from the fitting room again, this time wearing a form-fitting deep blue dress that only went down to about her thighs, and also did an excellent job of flaunting the curves of her body, and even showed a significant amount of cleavage. "Gorgeous, simply gorgeous."

"A-Are you sure this is...appropriate?" Kory looked down and around at herself anxiously. "This dress is rather tight...and it does not conceal my _greb_...my...breasts very well."

"That's the idea, hun." Lana circled Kory with a thoughtful expression. "The whole point of this kind of dress is for you to strut your stuff, and boy do you have a lotta stuff to strut. Those legs of yours seem like they go on for miles; adorable freckles, boobs that most women would kill for...how old did you say you were?"

Kory took a brief moment to remember her cover story; the Earth and Tamaranean calendars were slightly different, so some mental math was required. "I will be turning 18 years of age shortly."

"And a potential for even more development if that athletic frame is anything to go by, don't have an ounce of excess fat on you." Lana said out loud to herself. "Kiddo, I don't mind tellin' you," Lana said as she stood back up to her full height. "You were _built_ to be a model. Generous curves in all the right places and taller than some men I know, it's almost as if you aren't even human."

Kory blanched and gasped in horror. "H-How did you know?"

"What?"

It was then Kory realized she'd made a grave mistake, and her mind raced to try and salvage the situation. "Um...that is to say, I _am_ somewhat unique, am I not?" She laughed nervously, rubbing the back of her neck.

"Yeah..." Lana raised an eyebrow before going back to her examination. "Well, I've seen enough of that one. Go on and try one of the swimsuits I gave you."

Kory nodded and zipped back into the fitting room, nearly slamming the door behind her as she placed a hand on her chest and leaned against the door, sucking in oxygen she didn't even need. The stress of playing human was starting to get to her, she had to suppress so much of herself while wearing the stupid holo-ring; she glared at the device on her finger, and with the privacy of the fitting room keeping her safe, she took it off for a moment, watching as the hologram flickered and faded away to reveal her true Tamaranean form. _"I never thought I would miss the sight of myself."_

She now understood what Richard was talking about when he said that one side of himself was more true than the other. While she maintained the belief that each side of him was just a part of who he was as a whole, she could see why he would prefer to be Robin as opposed to Richard Grayson. Robin only had to hide his identity, Richard had to hide numerous personality traits that only Robin was allowed to display. She sighed as she looked towards the wall where the rest of the clothes Lana picked out for her was hanging. The articles of clothing were indeed glorious, she only wished she could see herself in them as her true self. Just as she was about to place the ring back on her finger, she heard the sound of her communicator beeping.

And it was beeping out the emergency signal.

Her face stricken with concern, Starfire pulled her communicator out of her pocket to open it, and the face of Cyborg appeared on the screen, and judging by his appearance, he'd been in quite the battle. "Victor?! What is happening?!"

"I know you're busy, Star, but we bit off a little more than we can chew with this crazy wrestler guy! We can't go all out since he keeps puttin' civilians in danger, and every time we try to stop him he either knocks someone out or throws another car at someone!"

Starfire's eyes narrowed in determination. "I will be right there, do not worry, Cyborg, we _will_ be victorious!" Closing the communicator, Starfire stuffed it back into her uniform pocket along with her holo-ring and flew right out of the fitting room, her focus entirely on going to rescue her friends.

"What the...oh my God!"

And then she froze in place, and slowly turned around to see Lana Lang staring at her with her jaw dropped as low as it could go. "Um...this is...not what it looks like?" Starfire whimpered helplessly.

"Kory, you're...you're...you're Starfire, of the Teen Titans!" Lana put a hand on her head as she used her other hand to reach around for something to sit on. "Kory is Starfire...Kory's boyfriend is Dick Grayson, which means Dick Grayson is Robin..." Lana's eyes widened in realization. "And that means Bruce Wayne is-"

Her heart racing a mile a minute, Starfire panicked and grabbed Lana by the shoulders, flying into the fitting room with her and locking the door behind her, pressing her against the wall to keep her pinned. "Please, I beg of you, you must not reveal this information to anyone, the ramifications of such a revelation would be disastrous!"

Lana stared dumbly at the frantic, panting alien for several moments before her brain kicked back in, as she blinked her way back to her senses. "Okay...this is a lot to take in so quickly...do you mind letting me go? I think you're starting to bruise my shoulders." After a few moments she was dropped onto the small fitting room bench, and she rubbed her shoulders to ease some of the discomfort. "At least now I know why you freaked out when I made that little joke a minute ago."

"Oh this is terrible, I had but one responsibility while I was here in the city of Gotham and I have failed miserably!" Starfire slid her hands down her face in despair. "How am I going to tell Richard? _What_ am I going to tell Richard?! And _k'norfka_ Bruce, he will be positively _enraged_ by this transgression I have committed! He may forbid me from seeing Richard, _I_ will be the cause of a _rekmas_ either between us or them! I-I will...I will-"

"Whoa! Kory, _relax!"_ The smaller woman grabbed onto Starfire's hands, pulling them in towards her to get her attention. "Listen, take a deep breath, you're gonna pass out from a lack of oxygen or something!"

"But...but Tamaraneans do not require oxygen the way that humans do."

"Well whatever it is you breathe, get some more in those lungs of yours, you're starting to worry me." Lana waited for Starfire to follow through with her instructions, even breathing with her to try and help the process. "There we go, much better. Listen, everything is gonna be alright. I'm not gonna tell anyone your secrets."

"Truly?"

"I promise," Lana smiled reassuringly as she placed her hands on Starfire's shoulders. "Believe me, I'm no stranger to keeping secrets," She smirked. "Just ask the big blue boy scout in Metropolis." Starfire stared blankly at her, prompting a chuckle. "Superman."

Starfire's eyes widened. "You know the _Superman's_ secret identity as well?!"

"Well, I do, except...he doesn't know I know..." Lana's smile faded a bit as she rubbed her arm awkwardly. "We...used to date...back in high school."

"No!" Starfire gasped. "Surely you are doing the pulling of my legs!"

"No, I'm serious." Lana sighed longingly. "To this day, I've never met anyone quite like him, he's just so...charming. He's kind, sweet, has a heart of gold, and that was _before_ he started pulling all these amazing stunts in high school. We dated for a while but...it just never worked out unfortunately."

"You sound as if you still have strong feelings for him."

"You're not wrong, kiddo." Lana snorted derisively. "I happen to like powerful men, and there's definitely no one out there as powerful as Superman. I've dated my fair share of guys since him, even considered giving Lex Luthor a shot, he'd definitely be able to boost my brand if nothing else." She shook her head. "Look at me, rambling on like a lovesick school girl. You've got people who need saving! Get going, your secret's safe with me."

"But...what will I tell Richard? He will ask about this."

Lana laughed a bit and shook her head. "Listen, sometimes it's best to keep some things to yourself. I admire your loyalty and honesty, but I think in this case, what they don't know won't hurt them. You get me?"

"I believe so..." Kory relinquished a tiny smile. "I thank you, Miss Lang. I am forever indebted to you."

"No sweat, Kory. Can I still call you Kory?"

"Absolutely!"

"Good!" Lana pulled a card out of her back pocket and handed it to Starfire, who took a moment to read it after taking it. "That's my personal business card, it's got all my information on it. I want you to come and see me again after you've taken care of whatever hero business you've got waiting for you. I still think Kory would make an awesome model...and I've been looking for someone to be my number one girl. Starfire, I'd like to take you under my wing and turn you into the greatest supermodel the world's ever seen. And by the way, call me Lana."

Starfire looked up from the card to glance at Lana, who was beaming brightly at her, her eyes sparkling with excitement over the prospect of finding a raw talent like her. "I must admit, I am not accustomed to the ways of the professional model, but if you are willing to teach me, then I shall endeavor to do my very best. Thank you once more, Miss Lang...er...Lana; I will see you again very soon!" And with that, Starfire flew out of the fitting room like a rocket, rushing towards where her friends' emergency signal had originated from, confident that Robin and the Batman would not be far behind.

"Well, Lana, looks like you got yourself another secret to protect." Lana chuckled to herself with her arms crossed over her chest.

"Lana?" Just then, Veronica returned with a yellow dress, obviously confused to see her without a certain member of their party. "What happened to Kory?"

"Oh, she just had something important to take care of." Lana said with a cheeky grin, much to Veronica's confusion. "But for right now, let's talk about you...better yet, maybe I should pick something out for you after all. Yellow _so_ isn't your color."

* * *

"So you're saying you two got together while taking a school trip to Tokyo?"

"That's right, Vicki." Dick's smile was twitching, desperately trying to morph into a deep frown. Vicki had been interrogating him for details on his and Kory's relationship for over ten minutes, and frankly he was running out of answers to give that would be vague enough to keep their tracks covered. Even with Bruce's attempts to intervene wherever possible, Vicki was laser-focused on getting all the dirt on this new, exotic beauty that Dick had publicly deemed his girlfriend. At the very least, he figured, he'd finally gotten Vicki to admit that the idea of them being engaged was nothing but fake news. "That cover all the bases for ya?" He said tiredly.

"Almost...just one more thing."

Just then his communicator beeped in his pocket, earning a raised eyebrow from Vicki. _"Saved by the bell."_ He thought to himself. "It's a new ringtone, excuse me I have to take this." As he walked off to get away from Vicki's prying eyes and ears, he waited until he heard Bruce capture her attention before he answered the call. "Go ahead."

"Dude, we're getting creamed by this Bane guy! Where are you and Star?!"

Dick's eyes widened in horror. The Titans were fighting with Bane? That was a supervillain who pulled no punches, and the punches he did make were like being run over by a truck. With the strength of Cinderblock and a dangerously clever mind that knew how to read opponents, Bane was not someone to be trifled with. He needed to get over there. "Hang in there, Beast Boy, I'll get Starfire and we'll meet you there in a few minutes!"

"Oh, wait! Star's here! Maybe now we can turn the tides!" Beast Boy exclaimed with a grin. "But you get your butt over here A.S.A.P., something tells me we'll need to focus more on crowd control than anything for a while!"

When Beast Boy hung up, Dick's mind began to race. Starfire had joined the battle? But the last time he saw her, she was with Lana and Veronica. "Oh man, I really hope she didn't let it slip." He'd cross that bridge when he got to it, for right now, he needed to pass the message to Bruce that he needed to bail out...because Bruce was right again, the Titans had gotten someone's attention. Shaking his head in disgust, he zipped back over to where he left Bruce talking to Vicki, and saw the reporter with a bored expression on her face as she listened to Bruce's small talk. "Bruce, something's come up, I gotta take off."

"Oh?" Bruce raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah...my friends got themselves good and lost, so I gotta go hunt them down and bail them out. I swear, directions are the _bane_ of Gar's existence."

"I see." In that moment, with the added emphasis on that word, an unspoken message between Batman and Robin was exchanged. "Well in that case, you'd better get going, I'll meet up with you later after I take Veronica home." He received a nod from Dick who ran out of the store, much to Vicki's dismay as she called out for him in vain. "Sorry, Vicki, but it looks like this interview's over. But I think you've got plenty to write a good story, right?"

"Not _everything,"_ She grumbled as she walked out of the store as well.

Once the redheaded reporter was gone, Bruce's smile dropped as he went on the hunt for Veronica and Lana. Playtime was over, it was time for the Dark Knight to hit the streets of Gotham before someone got hurt. "I knew this would happen." He grumbled to himself. "Be careful, Dick."

* * *

"This way, come on!" The battle was not going well, Raven couldn't help but notice. She'd created a line of debris meant to help the civilians escape and keep them from spreading out and becoming targets for Bane; their first instinct to go indoors had proven to be a bad idea as Bane simply threw whatever he could through the windows of the buildings, forcing the Titans to keep changing course to save them. What was particularly strange, however, was that although Bane had gotten in plenty of hits on all of them - her bruised sternum was more than enough proof of that, the massive assassin seemed completely disinterested in finishing them off.

The Gotham police arriving didn't help much, at most it just gave her a proverbial finish line to send the civilians to, and there were a lot of them with the way Bane was throwing cars around like they were darts. Starfire joining the battle was what really took some of the pressure off; as the physically strongest Titan, Bane had no choice but to focus more of his attention on her, which gave them a chance to try and get the civilians to some relative level of safety. But still, Raven couldn't help but wonder what the point of all this was. Bane did not come off as a mindless monster, in fact this all seemed to be carefully calculated for some plan that she couldn't figure out, not that she'd been given much time to think about it.

"What is this guy's deal?!" Beast Boy exclaimed as he morphed back to human next to the sorceress. "Does he get a kick out of taking potshots at innocent bystanders?!"

"I doubt it's that simple." Raven replied as she shifted out of the way of a stray starbolt. "Bane could have finished us if he wanted to, and he doesn't seem particularly focused on any one person in particular. He must have something else in mind..." She lowered her head for a moment in thought. "Maybe it has something to do with Batman and Robin, he seemed pretty determined to face them earlier."

"So what, we're not good enough for 'im or something?" Beast Boy snarked with his hands on his hips. The blank stare he received from Raven was enough of a response for him. "Alright, fine, so he's stalling. But why? It's not like when Batman and Robin show up we're just gonna drop out of the fight, why make it harder on himself?"

"I don't know. Just keep your guard up, as soon as the last of the civilians are clear, we're going in."

Beast Boy grinned. "Charging into battle? I'm game to follow!"

But unfortunately, things took a turn for the worse when Starfire was sent hurtling backwards by a vicious Bane punch that they could hear from across the street. "Starfire!" Cyborg roared in anger as he charged one more time, but once more he was repelled. "I'm sick of this guy!"

Then Bane suddenly took the offensive and started rushing towards the Titans with a huge truck in his hands, and he slammed it into the ground causing an earthquake around the area. "Enough! I have entertained you children for far too long!" Before anyone could react, Bane ran and grabbed Batgirl and lifted her up into the air above his head, and lifted his knee as she futilely struggled to break free of his massive hands. "Either you bring Batman and his pathetic child to me, or I will _break_ her!"

The Titans were frozen in place, unsure of how to handle the situation now that Batgirl was moments away from being killed at worst and crippled for life at best. But just then, the area started to rumble again, and the sound of heavy machinery filled the air as a massive wrecking ball slammed into Bane's back, sending him flying into the air and forcing him to drop Batgirl, who was quickly snagged by a tendril of Raven's power and gently brought back to earth, while Bane fell to the ground with a loud thud. Then the driver of the crane came out, taking a bow in victory.

"One brutish thug taken care of, courtesy of your friendly neighborhood Red X."

"Duuude! That was _awesome!"_ Beast Boy scurried over to give the boy a fist bump, which Jason eagerly returned as the rest of the heroes gathered around. "You know what? You're alright in my book!"

Unfortunately, the adulations didn't last for long, as the sound of gunshots gained their attention. The GCPD was taking shots at something, and soon enough they got their answer, as an angry, snarling and bloodied Bane came roaring towards them in a mindless rage; his body had swelled even further as saliva poured out of his mouth. "Looks like someone got a major overdose!" Cyborg fired his Sonic Cannon, which was ignored.

Starfire unleashed a barrage of starbolts, which was also ignored.

Raven took control of the wrecking ball Jason had just used and tried to slam it into Bane again...and the monstrous man punched right through it, ripping through it like tissue paper.

Bane seemed to be focused on only one person...the boy who had embarrassed him and caught him off guard. He wanted Jason.

But what he got was Batgirl. "Look out!"

Batgirl pushed Jason out of the way just as Bane swung his massive fist, and the resulting blow sent Batgirl crashing into the nearby building, and the snap that was heard as she hit the ground was quickly followed by her howls of pain as she grasped at her leg. "Batgirl!" Eyes now glowing green with anger, Starfire flew at the massive man with both fists outstretched, slamming him into the ground. Then she ripped the lattice right off of the crane and wrapped it around the struggling Bane, the screeching of the metal as it was forcefully twisted prompting everyone to cover their ears. "You will not harm anyone else!"

"Starfire, the tube in his head, pull it out!"

Starfire and the others turned to see Robin hurrying over to them; she turned back to Bane and yanked the silicone tube out of the back of his brain, and the venom that was being pumped into his bloodstream began to pool around him from the tube, as he slowly deflated back to his normal mass. "Robin, I-"

But Robin ran right past her without a word, as he ran over to Batgirl who was still sobbing in excruciating pain even as Raven tried to mend some of the damage. "How bad is it?"

"She fractured her leg badly, Robin." Raven's eyes began to glow as she pushed more of her power into trying to heal the injury. "I can maybe keep her from suffering any permanent damage, but I won't be able to fix it. She needs an ambulance."

"Cyborg, find the officer in charge and make sure they called for an ambulance." Once he received a nod from his teammate, he was approached by someone else, and he glared fiercely at him. "Why was Bane after you? How did you even get involved?" He asked with his voice dangerously low.

"I was just trying to help!" Jason exclaimed. "I smashed a wrecking ball into 'im, and then he got really angry, and then Batgirl pushed me out of the way!" Jason got on his knees and watched as Batgirl was tended to, unresponsive to any verbal stimuli as her mind was apparently clouded by the sheer agony of the leg break. "Is...is she gonna be okay?"

"I don't know yet." Raven replied absently.

To make matters worse, a shadow appeared over the young boy, and when Jason looked behind himself, Batman was standing there, one of his fiercest glares aimed right at him. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean for this to-"

"Robin, take your team and go back to the Batcave, and put Red X back in a holding cell."

Jason paled. "What?"

"No, please!" Starfire hurried over and stood between Batman and Jason. "It was not Jason's fault that this happened, _he_ saved _Batgirl_ before she saved him!"

"We tried things your way, and now Batgirl's severely injured." Batman leaned in close and glared at her too. "Gotham is _my_ town, so you'll play it by _my_ rules. What you do with him when you take him back to Jump City is _your_ business, but right now, you'll answer to _me."_ Before Starfire could offer another rebuttal, Batman swiveled his head around to Robin again. "Robin, make sure he's secured. I have to go with Batgirl to the hospital and prepare the cover story for when Commissioner Gordon asks what happened to Barbara. Do I make myself clear?"

Robin glared up at Batman for several moments, then he turned to Jason, and then Starfire, who were clearly waiting for an answer. Finally he gave one, as he stood up and faced his former mentor. "Yes sir." He reached down and pulled Jason up to his feet, cuffing him before launching his grapple and zooming off into the sky with him in tow, the rest of the Titans solemnly following as the paramedics arrived to take Batgirl to the hospital.

"I'm sorry."

Robin looked down at Jason, whose eyes were closed as they zipped across the rooftops towards Wayne Manor. For the first time since they'd first met, Robin actually felt a pang of sympathy in his chest for the boy who clearly felt responsible for what had happened. "I know, Jason, I know."

* * *

 **A/N; The bat has put his foot down, and Babs is down for the count. But things aren't all bad, it looks like Starfire might have a job now! Sort of anyway, hehe. I hope you guys thought the action was worthwhile, I know I'm not particularly skilled at writing out the scenes I have in my head, but I hope to eventually improve on this in the future.**

 **I have a better idea of what needs to happen next, so hopefully the next update won't take quite as long to finish. With all that said, if you liked this chapter, please drop a review and let me know what you think! Questions, comments, concerns? All are fair game! Until next time!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey guys, so again it's been a while since the latest update, and I'm sure I've got a lot of people wondering where I've been. Well, been on a job hunt recently, but to no avail. Finally took a part time job just to hold me over until I catch my big break. Writers aren't particularly valuable in this world, who knew?**

 **Go work in computers, kids. There'll be a demand for that for a long time.**

 **But in any case, it's about time we got back to the continued adventures of the Teen Titans...and Batman. Last time, Jason was taken back into custody on Batman's orders. It's time to see what happens next.**

 **vi: Glad you're still enjoying this story. Time for the next one!**

 **And here we go. I own nothing except the story.**

* * *

No one said a word on the way back to the Batcave. Even Beast Boy resisted the urge to crack a joke in a vain attempt to ease the tension. Uncomfortable silence permeated the very air. But there were plenty of thoughts running through the minds of the Titans as they placed Jason back into his holding cell. The boy hadn't said a word either, not even bothering to resist as Robin unlocked the handcuffs and locked the door keeping him barred inside. Robin wouldn't deny he was biased against Jason. When he first arrived on the scene with Batman, he too thought that Jason had done something to injure Batgirl.

But seeing Starfire so adamantly come up to bat for Jason, standing up to Batman and pleading with him to show mercy...Robin wasn't completely blinded by resentment. Jason had saved the lives of his team, and his reward was imprisonment. That wasn't fair...that wasn't justice.

"Robin?"

The Boy Wonder walked up the steps to the Batcave to see Starfire staring him down with a saddened expression, her hands folded in front of her chest. He didn't even bother to answer, he knew what she was going to say and he agreed with her...but it wasn't the right time to discuss it. Instead, he walked past her and made his way to the kitchen where Alfred was preparing a snack for the somber Titans. "Alfred."

"Yes, Master Dick?"

"I want you to make enough that Jason can have some too."

"I already have." Alfred turned to show that he'd provided enough sliced apples and caramel for everyone, including their prisoner. "I'm afraid I was unable to find anything more filling. Your friends are quite the voracious eaters."

For a brief moment, Robin smirked as he breathed out a chuckle. "I told you so." The small smile quickly went away, as he was reminded of how they got into this mess in the first place. "It's bad, Alfred."

"Yes, Master Bruce has already informed me of Miss Gordon's condition. Most unfortunate."

"No, not that. I mean, that's bad too, but not that." Robin pulled off his mask and sighed as he rubbed the bridge of his nose with his forefinger and thumb. "I've been tougher on Jason than almost anyone, even now I still don't trust him completely..." He shook his head. "But what happened out there, that wasn't Jason's fault. Jason _saved_ Barbara from Bane before everything went sour. Now he's back in his cell like _he_ was the one who broke Barbara's leg. Starfire _told_ Bruce that, and he didn't care. And...I obeyed him anyway, it was unfair and I went ahead and did what I was told." Dick's eyebrows furrowed and his fists clenched as his self-loathing grew. "Like I was just Batman's sidekick again, why did I do it?" He turned around to leave the room. "I'm gonna go and let him out!"

"A moment please, Master Dick." Alfred's words stopped Dick in his tracks, as he turned back to the elderly butler. "I understand your frustration. As we discussed when you arrived, Master Bruce hasn't been the same since you left. He's been...difficult to reason with."

Dick smirked and crossed his arms over his chest as he leaned against the wall. "Was there ever a time when he wasn't?"

"Point taken." Alfred resisted the urge to let his lips twitch up. "However, I'm sure you recall there was a time when Master Bruce was willing to smile, even laugh if he found something amusing."

"Yeah, I remember." Dick lowered his head. "He used to be so much warmer, he could joke and even play. I still remember it like it was yesterday."

* * *

 _Eight-year old Dick Grayson whipped his fencing foil around with excitement. It had only been a few months since the death of his parents, and he was slowly acclimating to life at Wayne Manor. Bruce Wayne, his self-appointed guardian, had spent a lot of time away from him, leaving Dick to spend most of his time with Alfred. But over the past couple of weeks, Bruce was around a lot more often. Their heart to heart, bonding over the mutual loss of their parents, had done wonders for their relationship. For the first time, Dick felt like Bruce was really his friend; he understood the turmoil he was going through in his all-too young heart. They started doing things together. Going to baseball games, eating dinner together, and of course now, a fencing lesson._

 _Apparently, Bruce had a lot of hobbies. Fencing was one of them. The boy's eyes lit up when Bruce presented the foils. Swinging a sword around was the dream of basically every boy his age. It made him feel like a hero to hold the blunt weapon in his hand. True, the armor he had to wear was a bit of a downer, and the helmet was kinda stuffy, but Dick could live with it. He beamed as he bent the sword in his hands, staring at his reflection in the mirror. Bruce was standing behind him, a smile on his face as he wore his own armor. Dick turned around and walked over to face the man, putting his helmet's mask over his face and pointing his foil at Bruce just as he lowered his own helmet. "En garde!" The boy exclaimed determinedly._

 _Once Bruce was ready, Dick charged forward and starting swinging his foil around, going for a strike on the much larger male. Bruce easily parried each of the swings, redirecting Dick's foil at every turn without so much as a struggle. "Try using more control," He said. "You're wasting a lot of energy."_

 _"Oh yeah?" Dick smirked behind his mask. "Hyahh!" He charged forward again, but all his foil hit was the wall as Bruce sidestepped the boy's charge. Dick turned to see Bruce casually leaning against the gym's pommel horse, obviously waiting for him to make his next move. Dick didn't hesitate to strike again, shouting a battle cry as he charged towards Bruce. Only to be sidestepped again and swatted on the behind by Bruce's foil, causing him to fall face-first on the mat._

 _"See?" Bruce raised his helmet to smirk at the boy as Dick looked over his shoulder and started to get up. "It's finesse," He took his helmet off entirely. "Not strength."_

 _Dick took off his own helmet and sat up. "Finesse huh?"_

 _Before Bruce could react, Dick dove between his legs, surprising the man and leaving an opening for Dick. "Hey!" The next thing Bruce knew, Dick swatted him on the behind like he'd done to him earlier. "Okay, now you're gonna get it." Bruce slowly cornered the giggling boy into a corner, his hands raised and fingers wiggling in a playful threat. He had to teach this kid a lesson, and he was just the teacher. Grinning madly, Bruce leaned down and gave the mat a tug, tripping Dick up and causing him to fall on his butt. Seizing the opportunity, Bruce dove down and pinned Dick down, unleashing a tickle attack that left the boy in stitches. "Too slow huh?!"_

 _Unfortunately, it came to a swift end as Alfred came in to inform Bruce that James Gordon, a lieutenant for the Gotham police, was at the manor to meet with Bruce in private. Dick watched as the playful expression almost immediately vanished from Bruce's face, much to his disappointment. "Guess we're done, huh?" He said sadly._

 _"Uh...why don't you hit the showers, Dick?" Bruce replied as he grabbed a towel and handed it to Dick to dry the sweat off his face. "It's almost time for dinner."_

 _Dick stared at the towel for a moment. "Uh...yeah...sure." He bunched the cloth up in his hands and started walking out, the lighthearted feeling in his soul fading as Bruce turned back into his old business-oriented self. These moments where Bruce would actually let his guard down and play with him were so rare, Dick cherished each one. They always got interrupted by something though. As Dick turned to glance at Bruce, his heart was warmed as the man sent an almost fatherly smile his way, and he smiled back and went to get cleaned up for dinner, Alfred following close behind._

 _Those moments reminded Dick that even though Bruce had a tendency to be serious, there was another side of him. The side that could laugh and play and enjoy life. It didn't come out often, but when it did, Dick took full advantage of it. Bruce had a sense of humor, he knew how to have a good time...and of all the places he could have ended up after his parents died, he was glad that it was with Bruce Wayne, the most generous man Dick had ever met._

* * *

"What happened, Alfred? What changed in him?"

"Who can say?" Alfred sighed in exhaustion, his aged face drooping more than usual it seemed. "I believe you and Princess Starfire made the right decision giving the young lad another chance. What happened today was an unfortunate occurrence, but to defy Master Bruce at this stage will only further alienate the boy as Master Bruce will surely come down even harder."

"But _g'tuverth_ Alfred!" Starfire floated in with her hands folded in front of her chest, catching their attention. "Surely you are not suggesting that we allow Jason to wallow in his self-loathing in that dark and unpleasant cave?! It is an injustice of the highest order for him to be imprisoned for doing a good deed!"

"It's not that simple, Starfire." Raven joined the party, with Beast Boy and Cyborg following closely behind. "Whether we agree with him or not, Gotham is Batman's city, and this mansion belongs to him. We can't afford to get into any more trouble than we already have. We have to play it by his rules for now, before someone reacts emotionally and does something we'll all regret."

Starfire vehemently shook her head in defiance, her long hair swishing around her face. "No! This is unacceptable! I will not allow Jason to suffer for doing what is right!"

"I'm with Star!" Beast Boy spoke up. "Batman's bein' a total jerk about this whole thing! I get that Batgirl got hurt, but that doesn't mean Jason deserves to be punished! That Bane guy would've killed her if he hadn't done something! We can't just let him do this!"

"I assure you ladies and gentlemen, the young lad will not be mistreated so long as I am the caretaker of this household." Alfred said with certainty. "Master Bruce may have confined him to his cell, but I intend to see to it that he receives the finest care possible."

"Does that mean that you agree with us, _g'tuverth_ Alfred?"

Alfred picked up Jason's portion of the prepared snack and started walking out to leave, stopping when he reached the doorframe. "There are many times when Master Bruce's ways are best. As a crime fighter and detective, I struggle to think of anyone who is his equal, all due respect to your skills and accomplishments, Master Dick."

"It's fine, Alfred. I know it's true." Dick scoffed. "I don't like it, but it's true."

The butler nodded. "But when it comes to social situations...I'm afraid Master Bruce's heart has been hardened by one too many tragedies in his life. He finds it...difficult to give the benefit of the doubt now. I'd hoped that Master Dick's return, however brief, would awaken the part of Master Bruce's soul that has been dormant since his initial departure."

Dick thought back to the discussion he and Bruce shared in the Batmobile the night before. The sincerity, the candid words he'd offered. Bruce was many things, but a liar wasn't one of them. Dick saw that side of Bruce that Alfred was referring to that night. "It's still in there, Alfred." Dick got up and placed his mask back on, turning himself back into Robin. "It's just being blocked. Unfortunately we can't afford to spend time trying to bring it out of him. We have to deal with him as he is. Go turn Jason's cell into a luxury suite. If Bruce doesn't like it, he can take it up with me."

"That won't be necessary, Master Dick." Alfred's eyebrows furrowed with determination. "If Master Bruce disapproves of my actions, he can take it up with _me_ instead."

Robin barked out a laugh. "Bruce is too smart to argue with you, Alfred. I'll leave it up to you."

"Very good, sir."

With that, Alfred left the room, and the rest of the Titans circled around their leader. "Y'know," Cyborg said with a grin as he pointed his thumb over his shoulder. "I think I'm really startin' to like him."

"You mean you didn't before?" Beast Boy asked incredulously.

"That was meant to be a joke." Raven replied. "It was more clever than one of _yours,_ but not necessarily funnier either."

"Sheesh," Cyborg huffed. "You're a tough crowd today, Raven."

"Jokes have never been my thing."

"Yeah, but usually if you're takin' shots at someone, it's the grass stain here." Cyborg pointed down at the frustrated Beast Boy. "Today it feels like you've been takin' his side over mine at every turn." The metal man leaned in close, ignoring the sharp glare Raven was shooting him from under her hood. "What's goin' on here, Raven? Why're you suddenly bein' so nice to 'im?"

Raven remained silent, her eyes lowering to the ground for a moment before they narrowed again. "You're being ridiculous, and I suggest you give me some personal space before I throw you out a window. I'm sure Beast Boy can attest that it's not fun."

"Wait, all those times you threw me out a window were a test?" Beast Boy scratched his head. "Did I pass?"

"Never mind." Raven levitated off the ground, stopping for a moment in front of her leader. "Robin, I could use some time to myself to meditate. All the drama from earlier has me feeling...on edge."

Robin studied the dark girl's expression and posture, and he could tell Raven knew he was analyzing her. Their bond made it so that almost nothing could be hidden from the other, not without conscious effort on the other's part. Robin got an inkling of Raven's discomfort before she seemed to put up a mental and emotional barrier, cutting him off from her soul. "Sure, Raven." He finally nodded. "We should have some time to kill before Bruce gets back, he has to make the cover story for Babs so Commissioner Gordon and the hospital staff don't start getting suspicious." Without a word, Raven nodded and floated out, Robin's gaze following her until she was out of sight. Something was bothering her, Robin knew that for sure. But the brief glimpse he got into her soul told him that whatever it was, Raven was both confused and...he supposed anxious, but over what, he couldn't tell. Shaking his head for a moment, he turned his attention back to the rest of his team. "You guys might as well go find something to do, until Bruce gets back there's not really much we can do."

"Bummer." Beast Boy slumped a bit, but then he perked up as an idea came to him. "I wonder if Doctor Dolittle has sequels!"

As Beast Boy flew out of the room in the shape of a hummingbird, Cyborg crossed his arms in annoyance, his head practically sinking into his neck. "Everybody got to do what they wanted but me."

"Sorry, Cyborg." Robin sighed. "I promise I'll take you to see Earl before we leave Gotham. But first we have to do damage control."

"I'm gonna hold you to that, Rob." Cyborg turned to leave the room as well, but then he turned to look over his shoulder. "You doin' okay, man?"

"I'm okay." Robin ran his fingers through his hair and sighed. "I hoped that things would go better, it seemed like things were starting to go my way...and while I know it isn't Jason's fault, part of me can't help but blame him for what happened. Maybe if I'd been there, things would've been different. Maybe Barbara wouldn't have gotten hurt."

"Don't blame yourself, Rob. We all got caught off guard with that Bane guy. He really had it in for you and Batman for some reason."

"I'm sure that's one of the things I'll have to work out with Bruce later." Another sigh from Robin. "Go keep yourself busy, Cyborg." He allowed himself a smirk. "Don't tell Beast Boy, but I'll bet my R-Cycle that Alfred put the latest game console in my old room in case I wanted to use it while I was here. Help yourself to it."

"So you're sayin' I get to try out the latest game tech while BB sticks his nose in a moldy old book?" Cyborg grinned mischievously. "That makes up for all the agreeing he's doin' with Raven lately. Little bit anyway."

Robin chuckled as Cyborg zipped out of the room. But the smile didn't last long as he felt a familiar presence behind him. "I'm sorry I've been giving you the cold shoulder, Star." He said without turning to face her.

"Have I done something to offend you?"

"No," He shook his head and finally turned to her, walking towards her to look up into her glowing green eyes. "I just...I know you're not happy that I caved in to Bruce's order."

"It is not you I am unhappy with, Robin." Starfire's eyes brimmed with sadness. "I simply do not understand why the Batman is unwilling to see reason."

"And now you know why I left him." He shook his head again. "Alfred will take care of Jason, don't worry. We have to discuss what happened back at the store."

Starfire gulped quietly. "The store?"

"How'd you manage to ditch Lana without her noticing your true identity?"

"Oh...I..." Starfire's mind whirled with possibilities. Surely it couldn't be too difficult to come up with a tiny white lie? "I...simply distracted her...with a desire for more of the clothing! Yes! I informed her that I would like to try on more of her wonderful designs, and she was overjoyed to fulfill my wish! After she left, I simply flew out before she could return!"

"Really?" Robin's eyes widened slightly. "That's pretty impressive, Star. Quick thinking."

"You do not know the half of it." Starfire chuckled nervously, desperately hoping Robin was too distracted by his own troubles to notice. "Now, if it would be alright with you, Robin, I would like to go back out to the city of Gotham and locate friend Lana so that I may apologize for disappearing so abruptly."

"Um...I dunno, it'd probably be a good idea if we stayed in the area. There's no telling when Bruce'll get back, and I'd like the whole team to be here when he does. I don't want to give him even more reason to distrust us."

"Oh please, Richard?" She floated closer to him with her hands folded pleadingly. "I feel awful for deceiving friend Lana so. I must make amends to ease my conscience! Please, _d'anthe l'ani."_

"Ugh..." Robin looked away and grimaced, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly before turning back to her. "Alright, fine. But make it fast, Star. I really don't need this to become an issue. We've got enough problems as it is."

"I understand." She nodded once, then leaned in close to kiss Robin's cheek, earning her a small smile from her troubled boyfriend. "I promise you, you will not even know that I am gone. I shall return before _k'norfka_ Bruce does!" And with that, she flew out of the room at full speed, her heart racing the whole way. Once she was within a mile's distance of the manor, she stopped midflight and allowed herself a moment to breathe. Lying was already hard enough for her...lying to Robin had nearly killed her. "Perhaps I should have simply told him the truth...but poor Richard already has so much on his mind." Her face scrunched with determination. "I will tell him at the earliest possible convenience. But the first thing is first." Starfire blasted ahead at full speed, and within minutes she once again reached the Downtown area of Gotham.

Quickly finding an abandoned alley she could hide in, she slipped on her holo-ring and changed her appearance back to Kory. Once she knew the coast was clear and no one had seen her, she began a brisk walk to the address Lana had left for her on her card. It didn't take her long to reach the suite Lana's office was in, and the receptionist quickly took her to Lana's office, where the redheaded woman was currently standing in front of a large easel with a sketchpad to match it. "Excuse me, Lana?"

"Oh, Kory!" Lana dropped her pencil on her desk and rushed up to pull her into the office. "Please, sit down!" Lana practically shoved the bewildered alien into the chair on the opposite side of the desk, and quickly got into her own chair and leaned forward. "So first, I gotta know...how'd that mission go?"

"We were victorious against the supervillain called Bane." Kory's face drooped at the remembrance of what happened. "But friend Batgirl was badly injured. I can only assume the Batman is now doing his best to take care of her."

"Oh no, I'm so sorry." Lana frowned. "She gonna be okay?"

"I do not believe the injury was fatal. However, I also do not foresee her doing much of the fighting of crime for a while."

"Man..." Lana shook her head and leaned back in her chair. "I'll be honest with you, kiddo. If Gotham City wasn't such a hotspot for fat cats and the power elite, I'd be content to just stick to Metropolis."

Kory tilted her head in confusion. "Fat cats? Is that another book from the Dr. Seuss?"

"Huh?" Lana stared at Kory incredulously for a moment. But then she laughed once the proverbial lightbulb went off in her head. "I get it. Sorry, Kory. I keep forgetting you're...not exactly from here. Fat cat in this context means a wealthy and privileged person." She smirked. "In other words, someone who can afford to spend a lot on the best clothes money can buy. You understand?"

"I am not sure..."

Lana laughed again and stood back up. "Don't worry, we'll work on your slang terms another time. For now, I wanna discuss your future."

"Very well."

"Alright, so we've already discussed your physical qualifications. I think you can be one of the best models in the whole darn world with the proper training...it's just a matter of making sure you get trained. I do have one question for you though. Do you actually _want_ to be a model? Or is this one of those secret identity things?"

Kory glanced down at the floor for a moment, her lips pursed as she thought. "I must confess, being a Titan is likely to take up a significant portion of my time. But I do wish to branch out and try new things as well. I chose this occupation for my secret identity because I believe I will enjoy the experience."

Lana smiled. "Works for me. I'd be more than happy to work around your superhero schedule. Just make sure you're here for any photo shoots we have planned." Lana returned to her sketchpad, turning her back to Kory as she rubbed her chin and stared at her light pencil work. "You know the thought of bringing you aboard got me inspired," She looked over her shoulder. "I've been working on this design ever since I got back here, and I think it would be _perfect_ for you to debut in." She turned back to the sketch. "But I feel like it's missing something, and I can't put my finger on what!"

"Perhaps I may be of assistance?"

"I'm not about to turn down help. If you have any ideas, I'm all for it."

Kory got up and approached the sketchpad, bending down a bit as her height would have had her looking at it from above. Just from looking at it, Kory knew that she was going to love whatever Lana was designing. It was a long dress that reached the ankles with some form of netting-like material at the bottom. It went over one shoulder, with a bodice around the waist. Lana had also drawn some earrings onto the sketch model. It was very beautiful. But like Lana said, she also felt like something was missing...perhaps an accessory of some kind. That's when it hit her...and it would give her the chance to do something she'd been wanting to do for a very, very long time. "I have a glorious idea!" Hurrying over to the window of Lana's office, Kory briefly removed her holo-ring and turned back to Starfire, and as soon as she knew there was no one around to see, she burst out the window at blinding speed, flying back to Titans Tower all the way in Jump City.

* * *

"How come the original Titans get all the best stuff?" Hotspot griped as he watched Argent and Jinx go at it on the GameStation. "All we have at our tower is a crappy PlayBox from the 90s." Then the sound of a sonic boom caused the fiery Titan to jump out of his seat, powering up his flames in preparation for a fight. "What the heck was that?! Was that the game?"

"No, definitely not." Jinx grabbed her communicator. "Kid Flash, you running laps around the island again?"

"What are you talkin' about, Lucky? I'm right here."

The Titans Europe collectively looked over to see Kid Flash devouring a mountain of food in the kitchen area. Then another sonic boom got their attention. "Should we investigate?" Argent asked.

"We'll have the scanners keep an eye on trouble...for now, let's just get back to our game." Jinx headed back to the couch to pick up her controller. "With all the crap we're dealing with here in Jump City, we deserve a break. For all we know, it was Starfire burning off steam after a romp with Robin."

"Now I know where your mind's at." Argent smirked.

"Just shut up and play."

* * *

Moments later, Starfire returned to Gotham, much more stealthily than she left of course. Lana stared in shock as the Tamaranean twisted her ring back on her finger and turned back into Kory Anders, without so much as seeming winded. "Where'd you go?"

"I simply returned to Titans Tower to retrieve something."

"In Jump City?! That's...that's on the other side of the country! The only one I know who can do that is..." Lana stopped herself. "Focus, Lana." She said to herself quietly. "This is the path you chose when you decided to make connections with superheroes." Straightening back up and clearing her throat to regain her composure, Lana stepped closer to examine what Kory brought with her. "So whatcha got there?"

Kory's expression turned somewhat melancholy as she opened her hand to reveal a shimmering, palm-sized pink jewel. "This...is a Tamaranean Soul Pendant. It is a symbol of the everlasting presence of family. No matter what, no matter where, they will be with you in your soul." She said quietly. "This is one of the few things I was able to take with me from Tamaran before I was sold to the Citadel to be a slave in an attempt to bring peace to Tamaran by my sister."

Lana's eyes widened in horror. "You...you were sold into slavery by your own family?"

"No." Kory's eyes blazed for the briefest of moments. "My mother and my father loved me...in fact, my father is the one who gifted me with this magnificent gem." Her voice grew softer as her eyes started shimmering with tears. "I...I was their little _bumgorf..._ and soon after my escape...I found out that my...my _n'keaga_ and _t'beaga..._ they died from grief soon after."

"Kory..."

The alien sniffled and turned to look Lana in the eyes. "You are designing that outfit for _me,_ yes?" Kory presented the pendant to Lana. "I wish to honor my family and have them with me as I enter a new chapter in my life. Would this, perhaps, be fitting for this design you are creating?"

Lana looked down at the pendant, and then back up at Kory. How could this girl not be bitter and enraged over the trials and tribulations she'd endured in her all-too young life? Sold to slavery, losing her parents, thrust into a world she knew nothing about? And yet she still had the strength to smile and laugh. Living and _loving_ every day of life she was given. Lana found her admiration for this young woman growing more and more, as she slowly took the pendant from her and went over to the sketchpad, tracing around the gem where she envisioned it would go, right on the strap of the dress. "You're a modern day Joseph, aren't ya, kiddo?" She said without turning around.

"I am sorry?"

Lana chuckled softly and shook her head. "I'll explain later." She turned around and walked over to the tall woman, taking her hands into hers and giving them a squeeze. "It's _perfect,_ Kory. I promise, this will be my magnum opus...your parents, wherever they are, will be blown away by how stunning you'll look."

Kory finally cracked a smile at the sincerity in Lana's voice. "I thank you, friend Lana." She wiped a tear from her eye, watching as Lana went back to the sketchpad to finish the design, still emotional from the painful remembrance. But she was excited for the opportunity to finally have her family on full display like she hadn't been able to before. There had never been time before, and now she would finally, formally, bid her parents farewell by donning the Soul Pendant and showing that in spite of their death, they lived on through her, in her soul. Not only that, a brand new resolve swelled in her heart from this exchange with the fashion designer. Now more than ever, she wanted to make sure her _d'anthe l'ani_ came to terms with the Batman, somehow. Her parents may have been gone, but her _k'norfka_ made sure she knew she was still loved. Richard deserved nothing less than to share that feeling with her. _K'norfka_ Bruce needed to understand that. The thought of Richard brought her back to the present, and another idea came to mind. "Lana?"

"Yeah?"

"I must return to my friends...but before I go, may I ask you for a favor?"

Lana finally turned around to face her. "Anything. Name it, kiddo, and it's yours."

* * *

Under any other circumstances, meditation would bring calm to Raven's soul. The quiet, the solitude, it allowed her the time she needed to put her emotions back in order. But this time, no matter how many times she chanted her mantra, no matter how hard she tried to focus...she just couldn't get these foreign, intrusive thoughts out of her head. It was as if each of her emoticlones had decided to throw a party, and things were spiraling out of control.

With a resigned sigh, Raven uncrossed her legs and laid down on the plush mattress that Alfred had set aside for her, her eyes closed as she tried to rest. The room was luxurious to be sure, but it felt too bright for her...too unfamiliar. She desperately needed the comfort of familiarity right about now. Everything felt...off. Maybe it was a side effect of opening up her empathic abilities to feel what Red X was feeling?

No, it couldn't have been that. The strange feeling was already haunting her by that point. Maybe it had something to do with Robin and Starfire? That seemed close. Their affection towards each other was always something Raven could pick up on, whether she wanted to or not. Raven may have had somewhat of a bond with Robin, but that was nothing compared to how connected Robin was with Starfire. Could their love have dropped her barriers somewhat?

Raven briefly felt a niggle in her mind when she thought of that. Maybe her emoticlones were offering her hints on where her thoughts should be directed. _"Okay, fine."_ She finally thought. _"You take the wheel."_

So if Robin and Starfire were a clue, then what was it about them that was making her feel anxious? Their love? Their differing philosophies on how to handle Red X causing conflict? No. Wisdom discerned that Robin and Starfire were a clue, but not the source. Maybe consulting Knowledge would give her a list of anything and everything that related to Robin and Starfire.

Their relationship? She felt a twinge of bashfulness coming from Timid.

Her friends? Now Happy was doing cartwheels in her brain because of how much she cared for them.

Okay, so maybe a specific friend. Was it Robin?

Silence.

Starfire?

More silence.

Cyborg?

Wisdom prompted her that she was getting close. So maybe someone close to Cyborg.

But that left...and Raven suddenly cried out as every one of her emotions seemed to ring out with a cheer simultaneously...and as if on cue, her powers lashed out and blew up her pillow, sending feathers flying everywhere. "I really hope that wasn't one of those fancy, expensive pillows." Raven dragged herself out of bed and headed to her bathroom, taking a moment to splash water on her face and regain her bearings.

Beast Boy. Of course it was Beast Boy. It felt like every inconvenience in her life somehow stemmed from that green-skinned gremlin.

"Aah!" Raven suddenly went down to her knees...as Rage roared inside her head and heart. "What is your problem?!" Raven groaned as she held her head between her palms.

Since her triumph over Trigon, Raven had rarely had any problems with Rage that she couldn't handle. But the thought of Beast Boy apparently sent the red emotion into a frenzy...but Raven realized something was odd. Rage wasn't mad about Beast Boy...she was mad at Raven. "Why're you mad at _me? I'm_ not the one who goes out of their way to annoy me." Another roar from Rage, and Raven quickly stood up to glare in the mirror, seeing the reflection of Rage staring back at her in the mirror. Rage's eyes were red with fury, but there were only two as her father's influence had diminished substantially. Not that that was particularly comforting at that current moment. "Oh good, now you're showing up in _regular_ mirrors too."

Raven turned away and went back to her bed, propping up her remaining pillow in a vain attempt to get comfortable. Raven could envision Brave and her other more assertive emoticlones restraining Rage, for which Raven was grateful. However, she could sense that even they were not particularly happy with her negative thoughts towards Beast Boy. But why was that? They never pushed her this hard before, especially when it came to him. Sure, there was an occasional twinge of guilt from Timid whenever she said or did something terse to him, but the emotions were never this...strong.

She pondered the Beast Boy puzzle, trying to figure out what it was about him that was causing her emoticlones to run wild ever since their trip to Gotham began. Beast Boy was immature, Beast Boy was annoying, Beast Boy was endlessly energetic, like a puppy who wanted attention. Attention from her, apparently, given how intent he was on interacting with her as of late. It's not that she hated him or anything, in some ways it was comforting to know he wanted to always find a way to make sure she was enjoying herself. It was also...undeniably sweet of him to offer to go someplace she would enjoy. That magic exhibit really was fascinating. And then there was his speech about how she reminded him of black leopards. Clumsy though it was, it was incredibly sincere. Why did he think so highly of her?

Did it matter why?

He really wasn't so bad, and there really was a certain charm to his ears, handsome even. He was kind, compassionate, always willing to try and see the best in people. Plus, in spite of his usual goofiness, Beast Boy could be very sober when he needed to be, and those moments were quite refreshing. Their heart to hearts never failed to leave her feeling satisfied, even if he ruined the moment with a joke. Raven giggled as she thought of it, he always tried so hard to make her laugh, it was honestly adorable.

Wait.

She giggled?

Raven's eyes shot open and she sat up straight in the bed. Where had that sound come from? Her? In fact, where did any of those thoughts come from?! Beast Boy adorable? Beast Boy sweet?! Sure, he was, but...

"Rrrraaahh!" Raven's powers lashed out once more, and her other pillow exploded instantly, causing one last feather storm that left her room a complete mess, with her in need of a shower as the sweat from their previous encounter with Bane was causing the feathers to stick to her face. "Think I'll go take one...a _cold_ one, apparently."

Raven walked over to her bathroom and started stripping out of her clothes, stepping into the glass booth and turning on the water in the shower, letting it wash over her and refresh her body and mind. Surely, this was just what the doctor ordered. Already she could feel the aches and pains from the battle starting to fade as her muscles loosened up. She would have to remember to tell Cyborg to update the Tower's showers so that they were more like Wayne Manor's. The rain from the showerhead was cleansing, giving her a chance to cast her worries aside if only for a moment. She even allowed herself to smile, something she'd been doing a lot of since Beast Boy started treating her with so much kindness.

And just like that, Raven frowned and slouched in defeat. Once again, Beast Boy had invaded her thoughts like a parasite...and again she felt her emoticlones express their disapproval over thinking of Beast Boy as such a thing. Fine, he wasn't a parasite. He was a good friend, a _very_ good friend, a friend she wanted to spend more time with, maybe spend time in the common room, reading in comforting silence. Again, Raven's eyes snapped open, her nose and forehead scrunched in a demonstration of raw frustration. "What is with you today?!" She screamed at the mirror images of herself that she saw staring back at her on the glass walls of the shower. "Your obsession with Beast Boy is getting out of hand! And it doesn't even make sense! Are you all _trying_ to make me lose control?! So what if he's being nice?! So what if he cares?! So what if _I_ care?! So what if-" Then Raven froze, as one of the reflections morphed into a purple-cloaked version of herself. Of all the emotions Raven had, this was the one she had the least understanding of.

Affection.

"What...are _you_ doing here?" The emoticlone said nothing in response to Raven's query, instead she smiled demurely at the original Raven, her eyes trying to convey the message without words. "I don't understand, are you the reason my powers are lashing out? Why?" Then Raven's pupils shrank in realization. "No, no, no. Impossible." The emoticlone frowned, and Raven snapped harder. "I do _not_ like Beast Boy!" Rage lashed out again and Raven cringed. "I mean I do! But not _like that!"_ She turned back to Affection and glared. "If it really is you that's getting everyone riled up, then stop it. I can't afford to lose control here of all places." Raven then twisted around to glare at Knowledge. "You're supposed to be the logical side of me, raw facts and information, why are you letting this go on?"

Knowledge just shook her head at Raven. Without the power of the magic mirror, her emoticlones couldn't communicate beyond facial expressions and sudden rushes of emotion. But those were exactly what caused Raven's powers to lash out, as Rage demonstrated on both her pillows. "Fine, we'll be discussing this very soon then, in person." Raven received a nod from Knowledge, and she and the other emoticlones faded away...all except for Affection, who was still pouting at Raven with a pleading expression on her face. "I can't do this now." Raven sighed in exhaustion. "Please, just be quiet, for a little while at least." Then the emoticlone pointed her fingers outward from her ears, apparently pantomiming Beast Boy. After several moments, Raven sighed again. "No. I won't avoid him. As much as I refuse to believe I'm crushing on him, I do consider him a close friend. I enjoy his company, just like I do everyone else's."

Seemingly satisfied with that answer, the emoticlone joined her sisters, leaving Raven staring at a naked reflection of herself, briefly causing her heart rate to jump until she remembered the only one who saw her was technically herself. With one last sigh, Raven turned off the water and stepped out to wrap a towel around herself and dry off. It was time to take another shot at meditation. "Even when you're being nice to me," Raven grumbled. "You still find a way to cause trouble...and I can't even get mad at you for it."

* * *

Deep within the Batcave, young Jason Todd sighed as he finished the snack that Alfred so graciously brought to his cell. It was easy to kick back and relax when he knew the Titans were the ones coming for him. He could enjoy the food, tirelessly flirt with Batgirl, and basically treat the whole thing like a big game. The worst the Titans could do to him was throw him in jail, and he'd eventually get out and start all over again like it was no big deal.

But that was before he'd been given a sincere chance at a new life, one where he didn't have to feel like he was all alone. He _enjoyed_ hanging out with the Titans, he _enjoyed_ the camaraderie that Starfire and Beast Boy offered him...and he _definitely_ enjoyed knowing where his food was coming from. But now that his fate was in Batman's hands? There was nothing to joke about. Batman wasn't Robin. Sure, Dick was intense, moody, but he wasn't cruel. Batman? Jason didn't have a clue what made him tick. He may have known his identity, but it didn't tell him anything about what he was really like.

He was just about to lay down for a nap when he heard footsteps coming from around the corner. They were too light to be Batman's boots, and they were the wrong sound to be Alfred's shoes. So who could it have been coming his way?

"Hey there, dude, mind some company?"

Jason relinquished a tiny smirk and laid back on his bed as Beast Boy grabbed a chair and sat next to the cell door, a couple of books in hand. "It's a free country," Jason said with a shrug. "Or so I'm told."

"Yeah, same here." Beast Boy chuckled a bit and then handed Jason one of the books, it was the _'Oliver Twist'_ copy he was reading earlier. "Saw you reading this a while back, thought you might wanna finish it."

"Thanks."

The green boy frowned, Jason's demeanor was clearly that of someone who was discouraged. And who could blame him? "I'm sorry about all this. If it were up to me, you wouldn't be in there right now."

"Duly noted." Jason snorted derisively. "It's not like I'm getting something I don't deserve. Red X is a criminal, right? I belong behind bars."

Beast Boy groaned. "Man...I dunno...I guess, yeah, _technically_ that's true." He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "But you've been doin' good stuff now! That's gotta count for something, right?"

"How's that working out for me?" Jason sat up and stared the green changeling down. "Y'know, I once told Dick that I didn't like to play the hero. This is exactly why. There's no profit in fighting the good fight. That old saying 'no good deed ever goes unpunished' is a perfect example. Here's me doing a good deed, and I've been punished for it."

Beast Boy stayed quiet for several moments, trying to think of any counterpoint worth mentioning, but to no avail. All he could do was offer his own personal testimony. "You're right dude...and really, it's not fair. Us heroes do a lot of work to keep people safe, and a lot of times we don't even get a thank you for it. But you know what? Those few times I do get one? It's all worth it. Seeing that I was able to make a difference and save the lives of people in trouble, it makes me feel like I'm worth something." Beast Boy looked down at the ground. "Especially since...I wasn't able to save my own parents."

This got Jason's attention, as the young teen raised an eyebrow. "Your parents?"

"Yeah...it's kinda my own tragic hero backstory." Beast Boy sniffed and gave Jason a half-smirk. "A lot of folks think heroes have it easy, but a lot of the time we're just trying to make sure others don't go through what we did that drove us to be heroes. When I was a kid, I pretty much looked like this." Beast Boy activated his holo-ring, transforming back into his civilian alter-ego, Garfield Logan. "Obviously I was smaller, but the blue eyes, blond hair, all that stereotypical good-looking stuff, I had it. But when I got a fatal disease, the only way I could be cured was with an experimental cure my folks came up with. It turned me green, and basically messed up my DNA so I can shapeshift."

"So...what happened to them?"

Beast Boy hesitated, the flashback causing his heart to grow heavy. "Long story short...one day, we were out on the river...my folks were scientists and we lived in the jungle...my mom told me to turn into a bird and fly away. I didn't realize until later that she sent me away because they knew they were going to die. They went over a waterfall...and that was that, gone forever." Beast Boy looked back at Jason. "If I could've turned into something bigger, maybe I could've saved them. But I was a little kid, I only knew how to turn into small animals. I couldn't save them."

"Wow." Jason huffed and sat back against the wall of his cell, digesting what he'd been told. After several moments, he turned his head to look at the changeling. "Why'd you tell me all this?"

"I dunno," Beast Boy shrugged. "I guess...I wanted you to understand why we do what we do. We're not in it for money, or to be famous...we just, we wanna make sure people don't suffer like we have. You probably know what happened to Robin's parents. Starfire was sold to be a slave by her own sister before escaping to Earth. Cyborg would've died if he didn't become...well...Cyborg. And as for Raven..." Beast Boy's ears drooped at the thought. "Raven thought she would end the world someday...and she almost did, and she knew there was nothing she could do to stop it. She vowed to do good in the hopes it would make up for the bad stuff she'd do. I wish I could've done more to make her happy, but it seems that everything I do just annoys her more." He took on a determined expression. "But I'm not gonna give up. If anyone deserves a chance to be happy, it's Raven. Especially since she's had the least to be happy about in her life. That's what I personally fight for. So that she and everyone else can have a chance at happiness."

Jason huffed out a laugh and shook his head with an exasperated smile. "I dunno if I could ever see myself being that noble."

"Oh no?" Beast Boy raised an eyebrow. "Then why'd you bother to save Batgirl? Why didn't you escape when you had the chance?"

Jason froze, unsure of how to answer. To some extent, even he didn't know what caused that sudden reaction. He saved them because...they were being nice to him, he supposed. Was that such a big deal? Was that worth celebrating? "You guys were being nice to me is all, I owed you."

"I doubt that's all there is to it." Beast Boy smirked. "Admit it, you're warming up to us. You wanna stick around."

"Don't press your luck." Jason frowned and looked away, staring at the cell wall. "It doesn't matter anyway, you guys aren't in charge anymore. Batman is. And Batman's not about to let me walk outta here for anything. I tried being a good guy, and this is the result."

"So...what? If you go to jail, you're just gonna go right back to being evil when you get out?"

Again, Jason hesitated to answer. "I dunno." He finally said with an exhausted sigh. "Being a hero feels like it's too hard, especially for someone like me who has to be a lone wolf. I don't have a team to back me up like you do."

"Sure you do! You've got us!" Beast Boy exclaimed as Jason turned to give him a skeptical look. "Okay, so maybe you're not a part of the Titans, but that doesn't mean you don't have friends."

"Friends?" Jason scoffed.

"Yeah, friends! Like me!" Beast Boy got onto his feet and reached through the bars, extending his hand with a friendly smile. "Consider this an official declaration of friendship. From now on, you and I are pals, and I'll have your back no matter what."

Jason stared at the gloved hand waiting for a response, then he looked up at Beast Boy for a brief moment. The smile never wavered. Finally accepting it as truth, Jason shook Beast Boy's hand and returned it with a smile of his own. "Thanks, Beast Boy. It's been a long time since I can say I've had a friend."

"I know what that's like, believe me."

The two young teens exchanged understanding smiles, with Jason feeling like he wasn't in a jail cell for the first time since he was put back in handcuffs. But the light atmosphere didn't last long, as Jason heard the sound of a powerful engine echoing through the cave, and boots walking towards them seconds later. "Oh no..."

And just as he feared, none other than the Dark Knight walked in, a neutral expression hidden behind his cowl. "Beast Boy, go back upstairs. I want to talk to Red X alone for a moment."

Looking back at Jason with a distressed expression, Beast Boy built up all his remaining courage and glared up at Batman. "No, I'm his friend, and if you're gonna interrogate him, I at least wanna stay here and be the good cop!"

"This discussion is not for you to hear." Batman replied, his gaze never wavering. "There's more going on than you're aware of. You need to step back."

"No!"

"Beast Boy!" Jason suddenly exclaimed, catching the changeling's attention. "Don't worry about it, just do what he says. I'll be okay." Jason watched, secretly stunned that Beast Boy was willing to argue with Batman over his fate. That was enough to convince him that Beast Boy meant what he said, but it also made him realize he had to return the favor. "Go!" Finally, Beast Boy walked out, but not without shooting Batman a harsh glare, and Jason swore he heard a guttural growl come from Beast Boy's lips as he walked past. Once he was out of sight, Jason turned his attention to Batman, who was standing in front of the cell as stoic as ever. "So is this the end? Taking me to jail now?"

"No." Batman replied as he grabbed the chair Beast Boy brought and turned it backwards, sitting and leaning on the back of it. "First, there's some very important questions I need you to answer. If I were you, I would highly suggest answering truthfully. Now listen carefully."

* * *

 **A/N: What is Batman up to? Will Jason survive his interrogation? Well, obviously he'll live. Batman doesn't kill. But there are other consequences that could come about from a confrontation with the Dark Knight. What of Starfire? What of Beast Boy? What of Raven? Any and all questions will be answered as the story continues. I appreciate all your support, and I'm eager to hear what you all think of this chapter.**

 **Until next time dear readers!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hey everyone. Here's another update for you. Not gonna lie, it's been hard for me these past few months. The job hunt has been rather fruitless. The one job I do have is retail and pays next to nothing for a ton of hours worked. I like (most) of the people I work with, but it's just not good financial-wise. I thought I had another opportunity locked up, but as of today it suddenly closed on me unless something drastic happens. I don't know what happened to cause the sudden 180, but now I have to come up with a new solution.**

 **I've thought about several different avenues. I've considered writing a book...an actual book, not a fanfiction. I've considered reviving my YouTube channel after nearly 10 years of inactivity. I'd love the opportunity to talk about things I want to say. But I just don't know, really.**

 **That said, I don't think it's fair to you all to leave you waiting for so long. So I'm trying to get back into writing these stories so you guys can have what you've patiently waited for. I hope this next chapter is to your liking. Anonymous reviews?**

 **vi: There's a lot of stuff going on, I only hope I can keep it all connected. Then again, this is but one part of a massive DCAEU I have in my imagination. Perhaps I shouldn't try so hard to make everything important all at once. Perhaps that's for other stories to do. Either way, I appreciate your enthusiasm.**

 **With all that said, enjoy. I own nothing except the story.**

* * *

It didn't take long for word to spread throughout the manor that Batman was interrogating Jason. As soon as Beast Boy left, he ran upstairs to find Robin and tell him exactly what he'd been told. Immediately, Robin summoned the rest of the Titans and told them to meet up in the den. Bruce was keeping something from him, _again,_ and Robin wasn't going to let that happen, not this time. He would have already confronted Bruce, but the fact that Starfire wasn't back yet kept him from making his move. "Where is she? She said she'd be back before Bruce!"

"Chill man, you're gonna wear a hole in this...ridiculously expensive floor."

"I do wish you would take his advice under consideration, Master Dick." Alfred followed up on Cyborg's comment. "While minor repairs around the manor are within my regular duties, I don't believe Master Bruce would appreciate having to pay for a trained professional to come and replace the entire floor due to unnecessary fretting."

Robin stopped his pacing and flopped into a chair, sighing with exhaustion as he rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Sorry, Alfred." Unfortunately, Robin didn't have a lot of time to regain composure, as Batman came striding into the room moments later, his mouth set in a neutral line as usual. Robin got up to face him, his eyes narrowed in a display of disapproval. "You better not have traumatized him, Bruce, or I swear-"

"Red X is fine. I'll be releasing him into your custody shortly." Batman cut Robin off, which only served to further frustrate the Boy Wonder. "In the meantime, we need to discuss what happened back at the museum." Batman looked around, his eyebrow raised underneath his cowl. "Where's Starfire?"

As if on cue, Starfire came flying in with a sheepish expression on her face. "My apologies for the delay. I was preoccupied with a personal matter." The Tamaranean then turned to Batman with an anxious expression. "Please, how is friend Barbara? Will she make a full recovery?"

Batman's expression faltered ever so slightly for the briefest of moments. The untrained eye would have missed it, but Robin could see that the man behind the cowl was still human, judging by the concern he evidently felt for Batgirl. "It could've been much worse." He finally said. "Fortunately, Raven's efforts in healing her injury prevented any permanent damage. Though her leg _is_ broken and it'll be quite some time before she's back to full strength."

"Nevertheless, it is encouraging to know that Bane's attack will not have any lasting consequences." Starfire smiled with relief, but it soon faded again as her forehead creased and she got serious. "The villain known as Bane is extremely strong for a human. Had it not been for friend Jason's efforts, Barbara may have been killed. Have we ascertained the reason for his senseless actions?"

Robin had to hold back a smirk. Seeing Starfire take charge like that, it was one of the many reasons why he admired her. When she was focused on a goal, she was relentless. She could also be darn cold-blooded when she wanted to be. Everyone knew how she felt about Jason being back in his cell, and Bruce knew that Starfire disapproved of his actions. She cleverly found a way to take a shot at Batman without letting the focus linger on it, forcing Batman to discuss the Bane situation instead of Starfire's snark. Robin took the cue and continued the conversation, letting Starfire's comment about Jason float in Bruce's head without giving the Dark Knight a chance to counter it. "It could be any number of reasons, Star." Robin said. "Was he saying anything before Bruce and I arrived?"

"Not much," Cyborg replied with his arms crossed. "All we know for sure is that he had it in somethin' fierce for you and Batman."

"Bane is a vindictive individual." Batman said. "His goal when we first met was to, as he put it, _break_ me. Robin and I were able to defeat him, and he might've returned to try again."

Robin raised an eyebrow. "Might?"

"I believe there's more to this scenario than meets the eye. The timing of it all seems too coincidental." Batman said as he motioned for the Titans to follow him towards the Batcave. "Bane is more than just a common thug. He studies his opponents, reads them to learn their strengths and weaknesses. The only reason I survived my first encounter with him is because he made the mistake of leaving his venom tube vulnerable when he went for the finishing blow."

"And you're saying that Bane's attack seems meaningless." Robin finished for him. "Which means someone else put him up to it. This wasn't _his_ idea."

"Precisely. The next step is figuring out who has the money to hire him." Batman led them to his computer, and names began scrolling up the massive screen. "Last time, it was Rupert Thorne who hired Bane to come after Robin and I, but he's been laying low for quite some time. And I've already apprehended the Penguin. There aren't many others who can afford the lofty price that Bane works for."

"So where do we start then?" Cyborg asked.

Batman typed a little more, and then got up from his chair to face the Titans. "Robin and I will check up on Two-Face. He's one of the few members of my rogues gallery who could afford to hire Bane."

"You wanna _check up_ on Two-Face?" Robin raised an eyebrow. "Since when does Two-Face send hired guns to do what he wants to do himself?"

"Two-Face leaves everything to chance, you know that." Batman narrowed his eyes slightly. "If for whatever reason he decided that his best chance to win is to send someone else, he'll do it. That's why we're going to see what he's up to."

"And what of us?" Starfire finally spoke up, a neutral line replacing her normally bright smile. "We do not intend to simply stand by while Robin throws himself into danger any longer. We are a team."

Batman said nothing for several moments, while Starfire continued to stare him down without so much as a flinch. "Your mission," Batman finally responded. "Is to search Gotham City for any clues regarding the origin of the Chronoton Detonator. I haven't had time to look too far into it. Given your past experience with the device, you might be able to turn something up. That way we'll be able to connect the dots." Seemingly placated, Starfire gave the Dark Knight a satisfied smirk and nod. "However," Batman quickly added. "Two of you need to stay behind and guard your prisoner. With Batgirl out of commission, someone needs to watch him."

That brought the frown back to the Tamaranean's face with a vengeance. "Friend Jason does _not_ require surveillance. Surely you are aware of this by now after your interrogation."

"I'll admit he appears remorseful. But this is common sense." Batman replied with a glare. "If you don't want someone to watch him, then you can all take him back to your city and decide what you'll do with him there. As long as he's in Gotham, we'll do things _my_ way."

Robin felt his chest tighten up as Starfire and Batman continued building tension between them. No matter which way he looked at this situation, he didn't see a way out that would make things work for both sides. There was also the fact that both sides had real merit. On the one hand, Starfire was the idealist. She tried to see the best in everyone, and took people at their word unless they gave her a direct reason not to. She had what Robin wished he had more of: a willingness to give others second chances.

Batman, on the other hand, was a realist. Sometimes to a fault. Yes, there were moments where he would give those he opposed a chance to redeem themselves. Bruce Wayne never stopped trying to give Harvey Dent a chance to fight back against his villainous alter-ego, even to this day. He was willing to give Clayface a chance to come back from his crime spree and live a normal life by finding him a cure. Baby Doll was an extremely sympathetic figure in his eyes too. But Batman also faced them like the villains they were, not risking something terrible happening just to try and prove a point.

They were both right...and they were both wrong.

Plus, the immature, teen side of him was sweating bullets, though he was trying his best to ignore it. He'd gotten approval of Starfire from his surrogate father figure, but would that change as a result of this standoff? True, Bruce wasn't really his father, he'd never even been legally adopted by him...but whether he was willing to admit it or not, he respected Bruce like he respected no one else. When he wasn't in full 'Batman' mode, he was a great man. But in these moments, he made it really hard to see that.

What could Robin do at this point? He was going to have to disappoint somebody, because judging by their determined and borderline hostile expressions, neither Batman nor Starfire were going to back down from their stances. Finally, he took a deep breath to voice his decision. It was time he took back control of his team. "Batman has a point, Star." He had to fight back a lump in his throat when Starfire turned to him with a saddened look. "I'm not saying Jason deserves to be caged up while he's here, but it's also not a good idea to just leave him alone...someone should stay here, keep him company while we investigate. Don't you think?"

Starfire bit her bottom lip, looking away briefly as her mind processed the information. "Perhaps you are right." She finally said with a forlorn sigh. Then she turned back to Batman with a small frown. "I do not agree with your decision to imprison friend Jason, but I shall defer to your judgment until we can safely transport him home." Her face hardened once more. "All I ask is one thing. Show him mercy and allow him to be placed inside of a room where he may be comfortable, not a tiny, cramped holding cell. Friend Jason saved friend Barbara's life, should he not receive some consideration for such an act?"

After a few more tense moments, Batman finally nodded. "Very well. But he's _your_ responsibility. Anything else goes wrong, and he goes back into a cell."

"I can ask no more of you." Starfire bowed slightly in thanks. "I thank you, _k'norfka_ Bruce." Then Starfire turned to the others. "Raven, Beast Boy, would you be willing to stay behind with our new friend and ensure that everything goes smoothly?"

"Sure thing, Star. Raven and I can keep him occupied." Beast Boy gave the dark girl a toothy grin. "Ain't that right, Rae?"

"You're expecting _me_ to go out of my way to entertain someone?" Raven raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Why can't Cyborg stay instead? Heck, why can't _you_ stay, Starfire? Gotham fits my aesthetic anyway."

"Actually, if we're gonna do this, it's best if _you_ stay, Raven." Robin spoke up. "All due respect to Beast Boy, we shouldn't risk things getting too wild while we're gone. You can keep a lid on things."

Beast Boy pouted. "So you're making Raven stay, but only if she agrees to be the killjoy." He crossed his arms. "That's messed up, dude."

"It's fine." Raven finally sighed. "I'll stay with them, I don't really feel up to the task of patrol right now anyway."

"Wait, really?" Beast Boy's eyebrows shot up in concern. "Do you feel sick or something?"

"No. I'm just...tired."

"Oh...well...I can understand why, you totally kicked butt out there today."

"Then it's settled." Batman spoke up. "Raven, Beast Boy, you're in charge of monitoring Red X while the rest of us go out and put together the pieces of this puzzle." The Dark Knight then turned to Starfire and Cyborg. "As for you two, based on the nature of the Chronoton Detonator, I suggest you start at Dr. Wakati's laboratory at Cranston Estates. If anyone can give an idea on how to construct such a device, it's him. More than likely it's based on his work."

"Sounds like a plan to me. I'll download the address and we'll be there in no time." Cyborg nodded down at his Tamaranean teammate. "Gimme a lift, Star?"

"With pleasure, Cyborg."

"Alright." Batman nodded as well. "Keep in touch, inform Robin and I if you find anything."

Cyborg gave a thumbs up. "Will do."

At last, Batman cracked a smile. "Glad we're finally on the same page." Then he looked down at his surrogate son with a smirk. "Robin, care to do the honors?"

Robin's eyebrows shot up as he looked over to his surrogate father, stunned that Batman suddenly seemed so...cooperative? Playful? He couldn't think of a word. It was surreal, how quickly he went from stubborn and hard-nosed to the same man he spent his early years as Robin with. Briefly turning to look at Starfire, she gave him a discreet smile and nod, encouraging him to follow along. As a smile slowly spread across his face, he ran towards the Batmobile with Batman following close behind. As soon as he landed in the passenger seat, he pumped his fist into the air and shouted loud enough for his voice to echo throughout the cave. "Titans, go!"

The Batmobile's engines roared to life as it zoomed out of the cave, with Starfire carrying Cyborg by his arms close behind. Once they reached the end of the tunnel, they parted ways and left the other two Titans standing alone in the Batcave. "So..." Beast Boy started. "Think you got enough juice left to make Jason a portal out of his cell?"

"Or you could just ask Alfred to unlock it."

"Oh yeah, heh." Beast Boy rubbed the back of his neck. "Thanks, Rae, you always know just what to do. You're the best!" As Beast Boy rushed out of the cave, he saw Alfred standing at the top of the stairs with a set of keys as if he knew they would be needed. But before Beast Boy could say anything, he heard a loud bang resonate from the cave, and the changeling hurried back down with Alfred following at a somewhat slower pace. "Dude, what was that?!"

Then Jason came bounding in with a terrified expression on his face. "Yo! This place booby-trapped or something?! I was just sitting in my cell when the door blew off!"

"Raven, you see anything?" Beast Boy asked the dark Titan.

"No."

"I shall have the Batcomputer run a security sweep." Alfred hurried over to the large machine and activated the internal sensors, only to be met with a negative reading. "Most peculiar, there's no sign of trouble. Perhaps one of Master Bruce's explosives had a misfire."

"Lucky you weren't standing next to the door, dude." Beast Boy said to Jason. "Anyway, Robin and the others left to go do some more investigating. So now guess what? You get to hang out with us here in the manor!"

Jason's eyes widened somewhat. "Seriously? I don't get moved to a new cell?"

"Let's just say we talked Batman into giving you another chance." The changeling wrapped an arm lazily around Jason's shoulders. "Told ya you had friends. Now c'mon, I overheard Robin and Cyborg talking about a new game console in Robin's room!"

"I remember where that is." Jason grinned.

"Then lead the way!" Beast Boy followed Jason up the steps, but he stopped for a moment to take a glance at Raven who had yet to move from her spot. "You comin', Raven?"

"Yes. I'll be there in a minute." Once Raven sensed that everyone had gone, she quietly spoke to herself. "You're going to get someone killed if you don't get yourself under control. It's _just Beast Boy_ for Azar's sake, stop acting like he's some male model! Compliments are not worth getting...excited about." The dark girl could picture her own purple-cloaked self sticking her tongue out at her, basically making it a point to tell Raven that her Affection emoticlone had no intentions of going away. If anything, she was getting stronger. "Azar, help me." Raven groaned as she slowly turned to walk up the stairs and reenter the manor. "If anyone gets hurt because of you, I'm moving to Siberia."

* * *

With Cyborg acting as her own personal GPS, Starfire flew towards Cranston Estates where they would hopefully find some clues as to the origin of the Joker's Chronoton Detonator. But even as the approached the buildings, Starfire could not seem to focus on her goal, as her mind raced with different thoughts. "Cyborg, may I ask you a question?"

"Sure, Star. You know you can tell me anything."

"What is your opinion of the Batman? I have been trying to understand him, and yet I only find more questions the more I try to obtain answers."

Cyborg hummed as he thought for a moment. "I honestly don't know, Star. Batman's...interesting, I'll say that. Feels like he does a lot of the same stuff that we do, but the way he does things are a lot different."

"But why must that be so? We are on the same team, we have the same goals. Why must there be conflict between us?"

"Not everyone views the world like we do." Cyborg shrugged his shoulders. "Some people choose to view the world with a positive outlook, while others choose to look at the world negatively."

"And you believe the Batman is one of those people."

"Even that's up for grabs." He briefly pointed in the direction of the estate as it came up. "Down there." As they landed behind the gate walling off the building, Cyborg activated his flashlight and started walking towards the exact location of Dr. Wakati's lab with Starfire slowly floating alongside him. "Hard to say why he thinks the way he does. If he really hated the world as much as it seems, I doubt he'd go outta his way to be a superhero. There's probably more than we're seeing."

"I wish he would simply confide in Robin, rather than behave like a royal _zarbnarf._ Jason has done nothing to warrant being treated like a criminal."

"I dunno if I'd go _that_ far, Star." Cyborg gave the girl a sympathetic frown. "I get it, I really do. Kid's done a lot lately to try and make up for past sins. But he's still the same dude who kicked our butts and stole the Red X suit just so he could steal more expensive stuff. Jinx had to prove herself before she became a Titan, Jason still has to do the same. I wouldn't cage 'im up, but keepin' an eye on 'im? I can't argue with that."

"I suppose not." Starfire frowned. "Still, I..." Starfire trailed off as she noticed that something seemed amiss about the building. "Cyborg, why are the windows broken?"

Cyborg's jaw clenched as he pressed a few buttons on his arm scanner. "That's not a good sign." Seconds later, his eyebrows knit together as the readings came in. "And that's a _worse_ sign. No life readings in there at all." He turned to Starfire with a grim frown, charging up his Sonic Cannon as he did. "Power up, Star. We may have a fight on our hands."

Starfire nodded and powered up her starbolts, adding her green glow to Cyborg's flashlight. Then they went towards the door, their hearts jumping briefly when the door opened with nothing more than a slight push. "I believe someone was here who was not supposed to be."

"If they're not _still_ here." Cyborg gestured for Starfire to go first, allowing the girl to be in front so he could watch her back. "Man, no wonder they call this guy the father of quantum temporal theory. Dude's got time pieces everywhere." Cyborg slowly scanned the area with his bionic eye, looking for any indication of a break-in beyond what they saw from outside the mansion. "Nothin' so far. How 'bout you, Star?"

"I do not see anything out of the ordinary...but...I...I..."

"Star?"

"AAAAACHOO!" Starfire's sudden sneeze sent Cyborg flying backwards, and the girl floated quickly floated over to help her friend back onto his feet, sniffling as she did so. "Sorry."

"What the heck was that?" Cyborg asked with a shake of his head. "I haven't seen you sneeze like that since..." Then Cyborg's human eye widened. "Oh my God." Cyborg quickly recalibrated his scanner, and immediately it lit up with readings as the metal man broke into a sprint up the stairs, Starfire confusedly following behind with a glowing hand lighting the room. Once Cyborg reached a room where the door was half-open, he kicked it down and powered up his cannon to full strength, looking for a target. Instead, he saw something that made a cold chill run down his spine. "Metallic chromium...tons of it!" He turned and held his arm up to stop Starfire from following. "Stay back, Star! There's enough stuff in here to make you sneeze all the way to the moon and back!"

"I can tell." Starfire said with a snort as she rubbed her nose. "What should I do then?"

"Keep searching the mansion, Dr. Wakati's gotta be around here somewhere." Cyborg received a nod from the girl and watched as she floated around the corner, flinching as he heard a sneeze and an explosion from out of eyesight. "Allergies are one thing I _don't_ miss about being human." Cyborg slowly entered the room, keeping his cannon cocked and ready to fire if he noticed so much as a mouse skitter by. Looking around the room, he noticed enough metallic chromium deposits to make 1,000 Chronoton Detonators. "This doesn't make any sense. Why would someone so dedicated to helping mankind do a complete 180 and start making time bombs instead?" Convinced that the room contained no threat, he lowered his cannon and started searching for clues. There was no way Dr. Wakati was keeping all this metallic chromium for no reason. He must have had some kind of goal in mind. His eyes scanned the desks for anything of interest, and that's when he spotted a notebook with - from a distance - random scribbling all over it. "What have we here?" Cyborg started by scanning for fingerprints to see who previously touched the notebook, but the only result that came up was Dr. Wakati. With the possibility of tampering ruled out, Cyborg picked up the notebook and began analyzing the figures. Right off the bat, Cyborg determined that the calculations were closely related to the construction of a Chronoton Detonator. But the numbers didn't match somehow. "Was he...trying to find a way to _reverse_ the effects?"

Cyborg skimmed over a few more pages, his theory coming together the more his computer brain calculated the equations on the paper. Then in his peripheral vision, he caught sight of another book, but this one was more of a journal variety. "Now we're gettin' somewhere." Cyborg again scanned for prints, but once again the only fingerprints available were those of Dr. Wakati's. Then he opened the journal and searched for the most recent date. "What's been on your mind, Doc?"

 _At last, the breakthrough I've been searching for! If I am to have any legacy on this planet, I'm glad that it will be I've found a way to reverse the very thing that my original work helped create._

"So you _are_ trying to reverse the Chronoton Detonator," Cyborg scratched his chin with his free hand. "Good to know you didn't just go supervillain on us."

 _It still shames me to this day that my attempts to harness the power of time for the good of all was nearly used to end time itself. I will forever hold a place of honor in my heart for the young people across the country responsible for stopping the madman who threatened to freeze an entire city in time for all eternity years ago. But I cannot allow that threat to plague the world ever again. All the dedication I've poured into this project, using every favor I'm owed over my career, it will all be worth it if this final experiment is successful. If I never see another shard of metallic chromium again after this, the remainder of my years on this plane of existence will be happy ones. The leaps of faith I've made since the betrayal of my former assistant, the man known as Temple Fugate, in some ways they're responsible for my success. I must not forget to thank Wintergreen for his loyalty all these years._

"Wintergreen? Sounds like a name for a breath mint." Cyborg flipped back to the beginning of the journal and began turning pages forward, setting the cybertronic part of his brain to search for the name Wintergreen and alert him of its presence. Finally, he came up with a match, and he started reading.

 _Ever since I heard of the creation of a device called a Chronoton Detonator, my dreams are filled with visions of being trapped in time. Blast that infernal Clock King for showing me what it truly feels like to be imprisoned in an eternal purgatory while the rest of the world goes on without you. Fortunately, my new butler, Wintergreen, has been nothing but kind to me ever since his arrival. Were I but ten years younger, I would forgo the need for assistance altogether. But I simply cannot afford to spend my time worrying about my own frailty when there's so much work to be done. Wintergreen has been an indispensable asset to me. Somehow he's managed to find an almost endless supply of metallic chromium for my experiments. He claims it's a simple matter of calling in a favor from a previous employer. If the circumstances were less dire, I would be suspicious. But his unending kindness and dedication to my cause simply cannot be denied. Wintergreen has an exceptional knack for understanding quantum temporal theory. He's even managed to notice small details that my old eyes have overlooked. I dare say he's saved my life on numerous occasions already. But there's much work to be done, and I have my own connections that can contribute to this project. Wintergreen is doing his part and then some. I must now do the same._

"Sounds a little too good to be true." Cyborg flipped a few more pages forward.

 _While Wintergreen is undoubtedly brilliant, there are times where I question how he knows so much of my work. Does he study my notes while I'm sleeping? Part of me can't help but be fearful after my experience with the Clock King, despite Wintergreen's gentle reminders that he and Fugate are not the same man. His most recent idea has merit, but I fear the consequences should the results of this experiment fall into the wrong hands. Create a Chronoton Detonator of my own? Surely that's madness! And yet, I cannot deny that the only way to test my theory is to use it against the very thing I'm trying to stop. What good is all this research if it has no effect on an actual Detonator?_

Cyborg didn't bother to read the rest of that page. He needed to know what Dr. Wakati finally decided to do.

 _No scientific breakthrough comes without its share of failure. Truly, failure is the greatest teacher of all. But experiencing failure is far less enjoyable than success. My miniature Chronoton Detonator completely froze this poor houseplant in a monochrome bubble of suspended time, and my attempts to replace the destroyed chronotons merely led to the accelerated withering of the plant. I will have to make more and repeat the test after I go over my calculations again. Surely, there must be a way to restart time after it's been stopped._

"There's gotta be somethin' I'm missin'." Cyborg huffed in frustration as he scanned more pages. They were all filled with updates on the experiments, Wakati's obsession with finding a way to reverse the effects of a Chronoton Detonator, and of course filled with compliments of the butler without a face, Wintergreen. Cyborg figured the guy had something to do with all this, but the only thing that even remotely resonated with him was Wintergreen's apparent previous employer who had access to vast amounts of metallic chromium. By itself, the mineral was harmless, so that by itself wasn't enough to warrant suspicion. In the hands of a scientist like Wakati, however, cores for an endless supply of Chronoton Detonators could be built, and yet the man only seemed interested in making them for the sole purpose of reversing the damage they caused.

 _An unfortunate side effect of old age is when one's memory begins to falter. The blueprints I designed for my miniature Chronoton Detonator seem to have disappeared. Briefly I feared that Wintergreen had betrayed me, but then I noticed the window remained open the previous evening. Even nature itself seems to be upset with me over my mistakes in judgment. A gust of wind must have blown the original blueprint somewhere in the mansion I've yet to look. Fortunately, Wintergreen had the foresight to suggest making copies of the blueprints should I ever misplace them. At first I resisted, but Wintergreen was quite insistent. Once again, his advice turns out to be quite valuable. I'm glad to have his assistance in this endeavor. I'm sure that between the two of us, success is right around the-_

"AAAAAAAHHHHH!"

The sound of Starfire's terrified shriek echoing throughout the mansion caused the metal man to drop the journal to the ground and burst out of the room at a full sprint, his cannon locked and loaded and ready to fire. "Starfire!" When he heard no answer, he locked onto her communicator signal and followed it to the room where she was apparently frozen in one spot. When he saw her, she seemed no worse for wear, other than the utterly horrified expression marring her features. "Star, what's...wrong..." Cyborg trailed off as he realized exactly what had prompted Starfire to cry out in shock. "Oh God..."

There, encased in a pillar of accelerated time...was the decomposing skeleton of Dr. Wakati.

"What a way to go."

* * *

As per usual, as soon as they were close enough to their target, Batman and Robin abandoned the Batmobile in favor of going on foot for stealth purposes. Two-Face's latest hideout wasn't hard to find, given that it was on the second floor of a building called the Twin-Tailed Tavern. "Two-Face is consistent to the bitter end, huh?"

"Makes it easier to track him down at least." Batman said as he closed in on the door that Two-Face was supposedly behind. "Nothing. But just to be sure..." Batman pulled out a couple of smoke bombs and rolled them under the doorway, waiting to hear the telltale sound of hissing gas before making his entrance. "No reaction to the tear gas, looks like the coast is clear." Handing Robin a gas mask before placing one on himself, Batman kicked the door down and walked in to search for any clues. "They were here alright."

"Yeah, but not for a while from the looks of it." Robin walked over to a table that had a coffee mug on it, noting the liquid it still contained. "This coffee feels like Mr. Freeze could drink it. If Two-Face made a deal with Bane, he wouldn't just take off before he knew the job was done. Knowing Two-Face, he'd make the first payment, and then give Bane the second payment the second time they met."

"Unless Two-Face has a second hideout meant to act as a backup." Batman said as he walked out the door. "Come on, we'd better start looking."

Robin raised an eyebrow. "Wait, that's it? No checking for fingerprints? No searching for leftover documents or even a clue there was a scheme going on here?"

"It's a calculated risk. I'll come back later and give the place a once-over, but for now there's too much to get done and not enough time to do it."

"Oh yeah, you have that meeting with Leslie tonight." Robin frowned a bit. "Hey, Bruce...I'm sorry that I haven't been here to help you through that. It can't be easy, carrying the burden on your own."

Batman stopped for a moment, heaving a silent sigh as his shoulders rolled before he continued walking back to the car. "It's my burden to carry, not yours. You have your own demons to face."

"Well, yeah...but when my parents died, you were right there to help pick up the pieces." Robin's eyes softened from behind his mask. "Can't say I've done the same. I shouldn't let my frustration with you make me forget what brought us together in the first place."

"I won't deny I've been hard on you, Robin." Batman said as he opened the hatch on the Batmobile. "But it's only because I have your best interests in mind, even if it doesn't seem like it."

"I know." Robin sighed. "I just wish you'd be more honest with me. I'm not really a kid anymore, Batman. Am I perfect? Course not. But that doesn't mean I can't handle myself, I'm not the same boy you took in all those years ago. I've grown up. I have my own thoughts and opinions. I've learned a lot in the last few years leading the Titans. We can make each other stronger, Bruce. Sometimes, being vulnerable isn't a bad thing. When you're with people you trust, vulnerability can be a way to grow closer than ever." When he got no response from the Dark Knight, Robin shook his head in disappointment. That kind of a leap of faith from Batman was probably too much to expect. "So where are we headed next?" But before Batman could answer, Robin's communicator went off. "Robin here, go ahead."

 _"Cyborg here, Rob. Got an update for ya."_

"What'd you find?"

 _"Well we found Dr. Wakati...or at least, what's left of 'im."_

Both Batman and Robin's eyes widened at that statement. "What do you mean by that?" Robin's question was met by a turning of the camera. "Oh my God." And what Robin saw on the screen was the skeleton of the time genius. "What a way to go." Robin shook his head sadly.

 _"That's what_ I _said."_ Cyborg responded with a grim frown. _"I scanned the remains after I turned off the time-device. DNA confirms it's Dr. Wakati alright. His body went through at least 20 years of aging in who knows how long he's been there. From what Star and I found, he was in the process of finding a way to reverse the effects of a Chronoton Detonator, but someone took him out before he could run through his final experiment."_

"Cyborg," Batman spoke up. "Did you find any clues as to who's responsible?"

 _"Friend Cyborg found the Dr. Wakati's personal journal,"_ Starfire responded nasally. _"The only lead we have is a man named Wintergreen. We have found no clues as to his whereabouts."_

"You okay, Star?"

 _"I am fine, Robin."_ Starfire snorted and rubbed her nose. _"The vast amounts of metallic chromium have caused my allergies to act up, but I am unharmed."_ Starfire suddenly sneezed, and the picture changed instantly as Cyborg apparently dropped the communicator after the explosion. _"I do not know if I can say the same for Cyborg."_ Starfire added miserably.

 _"I'm alright."_ Cyborg picked the communicator back up. _"We're gonna keep lookin' and see if we can figure out who this Wintergreen guy is. He's supposedly lived here for years, dude's gotta have a trail we can follow."_

"No," Batman spoke up. "Head back to the Batcave and do a search on the Batcomputer. Search for any and all individuals who would have enough resources to purchase that much metallic chromium. After that, cross-reference with Wintergreen and see what that pulls up. Robin and I will meet you there."

"Wait, what?" Robin asked. "What happened to Two-Face?"

But Batman didn't answer, instead he turned the Batmobile around in a harsh turn and sped off back towards the Batcave at full speed. "We've got to get back to the Batcave. We'll meet you there, Titans. Batman and Robin out."

 _"Uh..."_

Batman forcefully hung up the communicator before Cyborg could respond, and that triggered the Boy Wonder's temper all over again. "Hey! What is your deal?!"

"Your friends are in danger as long as they're in that mansion. Whoever killed Dr. Wakati may still be there, and we're better off facing them as a group." Batman responded. "We're going to meet back at the Batcave and regroup. Then, hopefully, we'll find the connection between Wintergreen and the metallic chromium."

But Robin's glare only grew stronger. "No way, there's gotta be more to it than that. There's no way you'd drop everything at the drop of a hat unless you had some theory as to what's really going on!"

"I have some idea, but I want to confirm my suspicions first."

"Tell me now! Or are you hiding something else that you don't want me knowing about?!"

"It's not about hiding anything!"

"Then tell me who you think is behind-" Suddenly a figure landed on the windshield of the Batmobile, causing the car to swerve as Batman was caught off guard by the sudden appearance of the figure...a figure that Robin was all too familiar with. "No...it can't be!"

"Hello, Robin. So nice to see you again." And just like that, the figure leaped off the car and began leaping up the nearby cliffside.

As for Robin, he swiveled his head to glare furiously at Batman, the rage in his heart only building as he'd once again been lied to. "Slade. Slade is in Gotham, and you didn't tell me!"

"I wasn't sure if it was Deathstroke, and I didn't want to send you on a wild goose chase if the clues didn't line up!" Batman's response was only met with a furious glare as Robin slammed the button that opened the Batmobile with his fist, leaping out of the car and chasing Slade up the mountainside with a blast of his grappling hook. "Robin, wait!"

Robin refused to hear the calls of his mentor, his anger boiling over beyond rationality. Of all the villains Batman could be facing, of course it was Slade. How had Slade managed to evade the sensors at Titans Tower? At this point, Robin didn't care. All he knew for sure was that Slade had the audacity to confront him out in the open, while Batman was right next to him no less. The unmitigated gall of that man, challenging him while he was under the surveillance of his supposed father figure. He remembered when Slade suggested that he would see the villain as a father someday, and Robin's lip quivered as he quietly declared he already had a father.

One that didn't trust him. One that refused to treat him as an equal.

Well Robin didn't need Batman to find success, he could beat Slade on his own! He'd proven that time and again, and he'd do it this time too! It didn't take long for Robin to track Slade down in the forest, as the assassin finally turned to face him. "I should've known you were behind this."

"Really now?" Slade drawled sarcastically. "I'm sure the abundance of clues I left behind were enough for you to make that conclusion?"

"I don't need clues to recognize your handiwork! Chronoton Detonators, visions of you in my head, they're all signs that point right to you! And now you're right here in front of me!"

"If that's what you want to believe." Slade chuckled. "For all you know, I'm here for a completely different reason unrelated to your current plight. Surely you don't think I'm the only individual who would have interest in utilizing Chronoton Detonators."

Robin growled and pulled out his bo staff, separating it into two escrima sticks as he got into a battle stance. "Frankly I don't care what your plan is!" Robin went in for a quick attack, but Slade was ready for the assault and dodged the strike, leaping over the enraged teen and striking back with a swing of his own bo staff. "You're gonna regret facing me, I've learned a lot these past few years. Whatever you think you're trying to do, it won't work! It's over!"

"Wrong on both counts, Robin. Not only is everything working exactly according to plan, it's only just begun."

"Robin!"

The two combatants turned to see Batman arriving, and upon seeing the odds were now against him, Slade put his bo staff back and leaped away. "We will meet again, Robin. And it will be sooner than you think." With that, Slade threw a smoke bomb to the ground, and by the time the smoke cleared, Slade was gone.

"Robin, are you alright?"

Robin bared his teeth and for the briefest of moments, thought about reeling his fist back and decking Batman to the ground again, just like he'd done the first time he left, seemingly for good. But in that moment, his promise to Starfire again echoed in what was left of his rational mind, and he instead turned away with his fists clenched in anger. "You knew it was Slade. You hid this from me. Why? I don't want excuses, I don't want a convoluted explanation. I want a straight answer. Why?"

Batman hesitated to answer, but eventually he gave in. "I know what Deathstroke...Slade...means to you. I know what he represents in your mind. I didn't want you to go off and face him alone again, not after what he's done to you and your team."

"So instead of letting us in on your suspicions so we could work together, you decided it would be a better idea to keep us in the dark and keep me away from him altogether." Robin scoffed out a laugh. "Why am I not surprised? Of course you'd do something like that."

"I only wanted to protect you."

"I don't need your protection! I'm a hero, same as you! Heroes are supposed to work together to make the world a better place! We're stronger together than we are apart! But you're so convinced that any sort of dependence on others makes you weak." Robin clenched his fists tighter and was about to go on another diatribe, when his communicator suddenly went off again. "What is it Cy-" But to Robin's surprise, the face staring back at him was not any of his teammates...instead, it was Jinx. "Jinx? What's wrong?"

 _"We've been trying to reach you for hours!"_ Jinx exclaimed. _"I dunno how, but Jericho's gone missing! We can't find him anywhere, and his communicator's offline so we can't track him!"_

Upon hearing that, Robin's temper came roaring back. Somehow, he just knew Slade was responsible. "We're heading back to Jump City tonight, we'll coordinate search parties to find him. In the meantime...keep a close eye out for Slade." After he received a nod from Jinx, he hung up his communicator to contact the other Titans. "Starfire, take Cyborg and head to the airport, and tell Raven and Beast Boy to grab Jason and the Red X suit and teleport to the T-Ship. We're going home, Titans Europe needs our help."

 _"But what of the Dr. Wakati and the Chronoton Detonators?"_ Starfire asked.

Robin glared back at Batman before facing his girlfriend again. "We'll let Batman take care of it. He's got it all under control. Right now, we have more important things to worry about. Our friend is missing." As Robin hung up once more, he reached for his grapple and prepared to swing off into the night.

That's when he felt a hand on his shoulder. "If you want, I can help coordinate the search for your friend. If Slade is behind this, our cases are connected."

"Oh so _now_ you wanna work as a team?" Robin turned to glare up at the Dark Knight. "You just don't get it, do you, Bruce? This isn't about the case, it's about your unwillingness to relinquish control for even a moment. You wanted to keep me away from Slade so _you_ could face him instead!"

"I only wanted to protect you. He's hurt you in more ways than I can even count." Batman replied. "I've watched you go down a path of anger and vengeance that I've only barely managed to avoid myself, all because one man wanted to see how much he could press your buttons and try to mold you into his perfect apprentice. If I can keep you from having to suffer that same trauma again, then yes, I'd rather face him alone than involve you and your friends."

Robin's eyes softened slightly, but his anger merely faded into disappointment. "We're done, Bruce. You do what you have to do, and I'll do what I have to do. When you decide to treat me like an equal, then we'll talk. Until then, you'll get what you want. You're on your own." With that, Robin fired his grapple and zipped off into the darkness, leaving Batman alone to brood in silence.

All the while, a masked figure watched from the shadows. "This is going better than I ever could have hoped."

* * *

 **A/N: So there you have it. It's not exactly a surprise that Slade is involved, but what precisely is his endgame? That's what the next few chapters will start to explain. I hope to have the next one out soon, but like I said, things are rather precarious at the moment. I'm trying to find a footing in life, change some things for the better.**

 **It's at this moment that I would like to once again shoutout HollyLu for her unwavering support in my life. She's been one of the few reasons I have to smile, always giving me motivation to keep moving forward in spite of the obstacles blocking my way. I can only hope that I'll make her belief in me justified. I will do my very best to do so.**

 **Until next time dear readers, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Stay tuned for more.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Greetings everyone! I told you it wouldn't be long before this next chapter came out! So a little update for you all, recall that I said the job search suddenly dried up...well God sent down a downpour to refill it as the job I initially found was suddenly thrust back onto me! I start in the morning, so I'll keep this brief because I NEED to go to bed. I'll just say thank you for the outpouring of support, it really means a lot!**

 **vi: Thank you once again for your continued enthusiasm! I hope to have the next chapter out soon, we're getting to the real good stuff now!**

 **Gothamlightwing: This review really made my day when I first read it, thank you so much for the kind words. I think if there's one thing I am good at, it's accurate portrayal of characters. I'm always looking for ways to improve, too, especially when it comes to the situations characters find themselves in, and fight scenes are also on my list of things to get better at. Your high expectations for me, I hope to meet someday. Thank you again for the review!**

 **Guest: You got it!**

 **So on with the show! I own nothing except the story.**

* * *

Up and leaving on such short notice was more than just stressful. For Raven and Beast Boy in particular, it was downright awkward. One moment, Beast Boy and Jason were just having the gaming session of a lifetime, and the next they were informing Alfred that they would be leaving and - if Robin's tone was any indication - never coming back.

To his credit, Alfred made every effort to make the sudden transition a smooth one. He knew how volatile Batman and Robin's relationship was, and understood that sometimes things didn't go the way anyone would like. While Raven and Beast Boy went around packing their things, Alfred hurried off to the kitchen to make them all one final meal for the road, leaving them speechless. "I shall have any leftover luggage transported safely home to you. It was my distinct pleasure to meet you all, and I regret that I shan't have the opportunity to bid a proper farewell to your friends."

Somehow, the thought of leaving now left the Titans feeling empty inside. It had been so long since they'd been doted on as if they were actual teenagers...at least, without being hypnotized by a crazy pie witch. Alfred took care of their every need without the downside of magic mental reversion to little kids. It was surreal to say the least. Such unwavering kindness from someone they barely knew. Raven finally found it in her to speak up after accepting the generous offering of food. "Thank you, Alfred. For everything. I wish there was some way we could repay you."

"Think nothing of it, Mistress Raven." The butler brushed it off with a wave of his hand. "It's been wonderful having young people in the manor again. In a big place such as this, the silence can sometimes be deafening. You and your friends infused life into this lonely home that it hasn't seen since Master Dick lived here. That is all the payment I require. I hope someday we shall meet again."

Raven nodded, and with a flash of magic, she teleported Beast Boy, Jason and herself to the airport, where the other three Titans were waiting for their arrival. "Let's go."

"What took you so long?" Robin asked with a slightly accusatory tone.

Beast Boy answered with his own sneer. "Your butler was busy taking care of us, we didn't wanna just leave without saying goodbye."

"You think I do?" Robin clenched his fists.

"Don't you?"

Robin gnashed his teeth as his already short temper was about to reach the breaking point. "You don't know what you're talking about, Beast Boy. And I suggest you back off before you say something you'll _really_ regret." It took all the restraint he had left to just walk away and head into the T-Ship.

Beast Boy was about to open his mouth to fire back, but that's when Raven stepped in and covered the changeling's mouth with a band of magic. "Now's not the time for this." She whispered into his ear after seeing his eyes narrow in protest. "We need to get home and find Jericho, and we need to be able to work together if we're going to do it. We can't afford a fight right now." With that said, she removed the band from his mouth. Somehow, she found herself internally flinching when the boy shot her a glare and walked away after her less than subtle means of silencing him. "Relax, Raven." She said to herself. "This isn't you, this is just a rogue emotion trying to make things difficult for you. You'll address it once you're home."

No other words were spoken aside from the necessary flight check exchanges. With Jason now joining them, it was necessary for one of the cockpits to be doubled up. Naturally, Starfire volunteered to sit with Robin, although it seemed unlikely she would be able to calm him down this time. His shoulders were bunched and his hands gripped the yoke so tightly that they were turning white under his gloves. But she still had to try all the same. She leaned forward to press a button on the console before getting back into her small corner of the cockpit. "I have disabled the intercom." She informed him. "Please, _d'anthe l'ani,_ tell me what happened to trouble you so." But Robin remained silent, refusing to even acknowledge she'd spoken. With a sad sigh, the Tamaranean beauty continued. "Very well. If you will not speak, then I hope you will listen. No matter what has taken place, please know that I will always be here to love and support you. You do not have to suppress your emotions or attempt to appear strong with me. I already know how strong you are, your vulnerability will not make me think any less of you. When you are ready to talk, I will be happy to listen."

Starfire still didn't get a response for the rest of the trip, at least not verbally. But she did allow herself a small smile when she saw her love's body language relax somewhat. He never looked at her, but his shoulders and hands loosened up. Clearly, her words had not gone unheard. He would talk when he felt like it.

The silence allowed her mind to wander. Looking inside what was normally her cockpit, she saw Jason taking a nap. Or at least trying to. That led her to wonder what had the Batman told him while they were alone. He seemed no worse for wear, was there more that she was unaware of? It was frustrating not knowing, she had to admit. Once more she found herself relating to Robin in that regard. What she did know is that a _k'norfka_ and a _bumgorf_ should never have to fight. Naturally, she rebelled against Galfore at times when she was very small. But they always made up, and they always made sure the other knew they were cared for. Robin did not seem to get that same consideration from the Batman, and Robin was not showing any indication that he wanted to try to make up with Batman anymore.

Robin tried. She knew he did. She watched it happen. But perhaps it was overambitious of her to assume that so many years of bitterness could be erased in a mere few days. Perhaps this was something that would need to be resolved over an extended period. If this was to be so, then she would do everything in her power to bring them together again. Friend Cyborg was most likely correct. Some people simply view the world differently than others. There would be conflict due to their differing perspectives. But that should not mean that people who so obviously care for each other should be enemies.

"Titans Tower comin' up in T-minus five minutes."

Cyborg's voice brought Starfire out of her musings. The trip had passed faster than she expected. She made a concerted effort to brush her concerns aside for now. There were more important matters to attend to, such as the whereabouts of their missing friend, Jericho. Once he was found, then she could come up with a plan to repair the relationship between her love and his _k'norfka._ She only hoped that the Batman would be willing to leave the door open for such a thing.

* * *

The burden that came with being Batman was a heavy one; it was a reality Bruce Wayne had long since come to terms with. Since he'd taken up the cowl, he'd seen families be ripped apart by the actions of evil people looking to make a quick buck; he'd witnessed the actions of greedy businessmen who singlehandedly managed to ruin the lives of countless individuals, some of whom he now fought on a seemingly biweekly basis. He'd watched one of his very best friends become an insane crime boss while he could only sit back and suffer as his friend's mental stability deteriorated.

And of course, he'd been present to see those he cared about most get hurt in the worst ways. His ward, Dick Grayson, in some ways the son he never had, lost his parents to an extortionist named Tony Zucco, and Batman spent years tracking Zucco down so he could finally be brought to justice for the crime he'd committed. Then Robin tried to get involved, as Batman knew he would as soon as he realized who it was he was chasing. Dick managed to find Zucco and nearly lost control of himself, and Batman, hobbled by a bullet to the leg and walking with a splint and a crutch, could do nothing to stop him except hope he could be talked down after he'd beaten Zucco to a bloody pulp.

It really wasn't that long ago, though it seemed like forever after the rift that had grown between them. Batman had hoped that maybe they'd made some progress to mending that break in their friendship, but that was perhaps too much to hope for. Now, as he rode alone in the Batmobile back to the Batcave, which was now empty except for the bats that lived there, Batman found himself reflecting on his time with his young sidekicks...the trauma they'd endured as a result of being associated with him.

Dick could have easily led a normal, albeit less than ideal life with foster parents if he hadn't been compelled to intervene on his behalf. But he'd seen himself in the formerly small child acrobat from the circus, and he knew that he could relate to what he was going through. Now, Dick was the leader of a team of heroes, and even now he was trying to find his way in life, struggling to find the balance between being a hero, and just being himself.

Perhaps, Batman thought, he too had lost sight of that balance.

Then there was Barbara Gordon, the Batgirl. He hadn't asked her to take up the mission with him, she volunteered after her father had been framed for a crime by Two-Face...his former friend Harvey Dent...Barbara transformed herself into Batgirl, creating a costume for herself and doing her best to keep up with him and Robin. She wasn't nearly as active as they were until the day their identities were revealed to each other...Batgirl stepped up just as Robin decided that enough was enough. Batman parked the car and slowly trudged towards a chair in the Batcave, slumping into it as he closed his eyes and replayed the entire sordid event in his head.

* * *

 _It was a late evening in Gotham City, and the massive Wayne Manor was playing guest to none other than Barbara Gordon, the police commissioner's daughter and Dick Grayson's girlfriend from school. They seemed to work well together, but there was the little matter that neither Dick nor Barbara knew that the other was Robin or Batgirl._

 _Barbara came to the manor looking for answers, wondering why Dick had seemed so agitated and distant as of late. Dick had vented frustrations to her and given no details, leaving her only the slightest hint that whatever the problem was, it was really between him and Bruce. The Dark Knight sighed as Barbara kept going on about Dick's rambling about respect and trust. As of late, Dick had been pushing to be given more responsibility, to be treated as an equal rather than as a sidekick. But what Dick wanted was something he couldn't give; Dick wanted to be in charge, he wanted to decide how things would go during missions...but he was rash, made decisions based on his emotions more than logic and deduction. Handing him the reins while he could easily fly off the handle at a moment's notice would have been disastrous. Then again, Bruce hadn't exactly been calm, cool and collected during his latest interrogation. That was the reason for their latest argument, which led to Robin storming out the window, leaving Batman to try and save face after traumatizing their suspect's five-year old son._

 _True, on that night, there was no question Dick was in the right. Not that Bruce admitted that. But nonetheless, the hormones rushing through Dick's pubescent body were turning him into an aggressive, impulsive individual. If he did something foolish, it was possible that Bruce wouldn't be able to save him. The logical choice was to force Dick to stay home while he went solo for a little while, only calling on Robin for situations where he absolutely needed the backup...but Bruce couldn't do that to the Boy Wonder, he'd accomplished so much, and made him so proud. It surely would have broken his heart to be told that he wouldn't be allowed to go out on patrol anymore. In spite of the rough patch they were going through, he still considered them the dynamic duo. Batman and Robin were a team, and together there wasn't a villain yet who could bring them down._

 _"Bruce?"_

 _Brought out of his musings by Barbara's prodding, Bruce turned to look down at the young woman staring at him with a confused and concerned expression. In that moment, he could see that Barbara wanted nothing more than to try and help his surrogate son through whatever was troubling him. "You really care for him, don't you?" Bruce's question was met with a simple nod, and he took a few steps away from her before finally coming to a decision that he knew he should have made a long time ago. He looked over his shoulder and waved his hand at her. "Follow me." Without a word, Barbara followed the man towards the old clock in the library...and she gasped when Bruce revealed a secret passageway behind it, with a staircase leading down. This was it, no turning back. For Dick's sake, he was going to reveal their secret to Barbara so they could all be on the same page, and Dick would have someone his own age to confide in. He only hoped it was the right decision._

 _Naturally, Barbara was shocked to learn that he was Batman. She was even more shocked when he revealed that he knew she was Batgirl. Unfortunately, there wasn't time for the shock to wear off, or for Dick to be brought in and eased into the drastic change in their dynamic. Almost the moment Bruce brought Barbara down to the cave, Alfred came in stating that they needed to tune in to the local news. And sure enough, upon activating the Batcomputer and setting it to display the local newscast, none other than the Joker's sickly pale face smiled back at them, breaking into a terrible infomercial parody in which he was threatening to use a stolen radar disruptor to bring down any planes attempting to fly over Gotham, which would instantly end the lives of millions unless the Joker received forty-million dollars in cash._

 _Bruce knew he was going to need help for this one. With a heist this big, Joker wasn't going to take any chances. He needed backup. "Alfred, contact Robin."_

 _"I've already tried, sir. I'm afraid he's not answering."_

 _"Keep trying." Bruce said urgently. "The Joker will have his goons well placed, I'm going to need backup."_

 _And that's when Barbara stepped in. "You've already got it."_

 _Bruce turned to see Barbara coming closer, a determined smile on her face and an excited spark in her eyes. It was clear that Barbara didn't become Batgirl out of any sort of obligation, she just loved the thrill of being a hero, and helping people who needed it. Dick truly was lucky to have such a beautiful young woman care for him. If the ages weren't so different, Bruce might have found it attractive to meet someone with such a strong sense of justice. But there wasn't time for random thoughts to take root. There was work to be done._

 _Within minutes, Barbara got into her costume and transformed herself into Batgirl, and together they sped off into the night in the Batmobile, hoping that they could get to the Joker before innocent people lost their lives to the madman's raving lunacy. "Joker may want the forty-million, but he'll throw the switch in a heartbeat if he thinks there's a good, sick laugh in it." Batman said grimly. "To get maximum air coverage, he has to set the disruptor at the highest point in Gotham. Which means I'll need to use a new trick up my sleeve, and you'll have to draw their fire until I can get my bearings." Batman fixed her with a serious expression. "Be extremely careful. Find cover as soon as you can, and don't engage unless you can disarm them somehow."_

 _"No pressure, huh?"_

 _"There's still time to back out."_

 _Batgirl raised a skeptical eyebrow. "You kidding? There's no way I'm turning back now. You just showed me your headquarters. I'm in it for the long haul."_

 _"I hope you mean that." Batman drove the car to the foot of the highest skyscraper in Gotham, and as soon as he found a place to park it that wouldn't be noticed, he strapped on what could only be described as a jetpack. "I'm going to get their attention first. Use the grapple to get up there without them noticing, then disarm them."_

 _"Got it."_

 _With that confirmation, Batman flew up and towards the top of the tower, and it didn't take long for the Joker to notice him, especially since Batman slammed into one of Joker's goons with a fly-by._

 _"Bats in our belfry again!" Joker stuck his fingers in his ears just as his remaining goon started firing at Batman. The bullets bounced off the jetpack, but it was clear the advanced tech wasn't meant to withstand such abuse as it started sputtering. Fortunately for the Dark Knight, that's when Batgirl stepped in, tossing a Batarang that knocked the gun out of the henchman's hands and drawing their attention away from Batman. "Oooh, something new has been added." Joker crooned as he straightened his oversized bowtie and started wringing his hands greedily, stepping towards the young woman. "A big improvement over the boy blunder."_

 _Batman didn't give the Joker a chance to try anything, as he swooped back in for another attack run. He missed though, as the goons all leaped back before they could go down. Then that's when the Joker took matters into his own hands, using metal, sharpened playing cards to rip through the jetpack's wiring and force Batman down._

 _When the Dark Knight crashed into a prop souvenir stand, he was quickly mauled by Joker's two pet hyenas. "Don't fill up kids, leave some room for dessert!" Joker would've loved to watch Batman get ripped to shreds, but that's when Batgirl leaped back into the fray and started beating the snot out of his henchmen. Being the burly types they were, Batgirl wasn't able to knock them out in just one punch. It was clear however that they weren't making any headway against the scrappy young woman. "Ooh, she's a feisty little minx." Joker cackled as he looked through a telescope at the brawl taking place. "Quite a looker too."_

 _The horror that gripped Batman's soul when Joker swung the telescope around and knocked the unsuspecting Batgirl off the roof was indescribable. With him only barely keeping the hyenas at bay, and his jetpack out of commission, there was no way he would be able to save her. Batgirl was going to die, and it was his fault for bringing her into the equation in the first place. His anger fueled him enough to be able to punch the two creatures off of him, and the rest of the fight from that point on was practically a blur._

 _Batgirl miraculously reentered the fight, stopping the goons from shooting at him. Then Robin appeared out of nowhere, meaning that he must have shown up just in time to save her from becoming an ugly stain on the street. The Joker's irritated punchlines never failed to get on his last nerve. Sidewalk stroganoff indeed. Then the Joker started shooting, forcing them all to take cover. Then he watched as Batgirl made herself the target just as a plane was flying overhead, his heart lurching out of his chest as the young woman put herself in harm's way to try and be the hero._

 _She succeeded, and Joker shot the radar disruptor in his negligence. It was a true act of bravery on Batgirl's part, but the downside was that the disruptor was now seconds away from exploding. With her on it._

 _Batman refused to let her down a second time._

 _With all the speed he could muster, Batman ran past the Joker, slamming him to the ground in the process, grabbed the girl around the waist and leaped over the edge to hang onto the railing to protect them both from the blast._

 _Joker took the brunt of it as he was closest, though Robin did have soot on his costume from what remains of the explosion managed to reach him. "Houston..." the Joker drawled. "We have a problem."_

 _It didn't take long for the Gotham PD to arrive and take Joker and his goons into custody. By that time, everything had calmed down as far as the crime was concerned. But it was clear the drama wasn't over yet, as Robin looked like he was ready to blow a gasket. Once everyone else left, he let all his emotions out right there. "Batgirl...you're Batgirl...I still can't believe it! How could you keep something like this from me?!"_

 _Batgirl's eyes widened for a moment, then narrowed in indignation as she poked a finger into his chest. "You weren't exactly honest with_ me _either."_

 _"But you told_ him!" _Robin pointed angrily at Batman._

 _"He knew!"_

 _That was the moment the entire tone of the argument changed, as Robin gasped and then grit his teeth in rage as he glared at the Dark Knight who was standing almost in the shadows. "You...knew..."_

 _"It wasn't my place to tell you."_

 _Robin pushed past Batgirl to get right in Batman's face."But it was your place to put her in danger!"_

 _"It wasn't like that!" Batgirl protested. "I volunteered!"_

 _"You_ think _you did!" Robin scoffed as he briefly turned to look at Batgirl before turning back to Batman with a betrayed sneer on his face. The mask hid the hurt in his eyes. "You don't know him like I do. He manipulates, pulls strings..." He looked over his shoulder at Batgirl again. "Anything to get what he wants!"_

 _Hearing what his ward really thought of him hurt. Seeing Batgirl suddenly become silent as tears built in her eyes, forcing her to shut them tight, drove home that this was no longer about her. This was now about what was left of his and Robin's relationship. "I thought we had the same goals."_

 _That brought Robin's judging eyes back to Batman, as he snarled at him with such venom that it was like he was speaking to Tony Zucco again. "We do! But things change!_ I've _changed!" Robin pointed his thumb at himself. "I'm not some snot-nosed kid you can order around anymore! And I'm not going to stand here and watch you preach one thing while you do the exact opposite anymore! Either I'm your partner, or I'm not! And clearly, I'm_ not!" _Robin spread his arms out and lowered his voice as much as it could go._ _"The game's over, Batman...I quit."_

 _Batman felt his stomach drop as he watched Robin...Dick, turn to walk away without another word. He had to say something, anything to try and repair the rift between them. "Robin, wait." He put his hand on Robin's shoulder._

 _Then he found himself on the floor, as Robin violently shrugged Batman's hand off, whirled around and threw all the power he could into a punch to the face that left the older man dazed and utterly stunned into silence, with Batgirl gasping in horror at what she just witnessed. Batman said nothing, just staring up at his ward with as neutral an expression as he could make. Maybe the outburst of aggression would be enough to calm his teenaged partner down?_

 _Unfortunately, that was not the case, as Batman watched Robin rip off his mask and his cape and throwing them at Batman's feet, before shooting a grapple and disappearing into the night. The final nail in the coffin._

 _Batman could tell that Robin was not coming back. The dynamic duo was broken up...and the boy he took under his wing, the one he swore to protect with his life so that he wouldn't suffer the same fate as he did...hated him with a burning passion, all because he deemed it fit to keep information he felt was not meant to be shared._

 _Not since the day of his parents' death, had his heart felt so empty._

* * *

Nearly three years since then, and it still felt like it was yesterday. The memory haunted him like a specter, always reminding him of his failure. He tried so hard to protect Dick from the evils of the world, tried to give him everything he could to have a happy life. But somehow, it backfired on him. Now, just as they were starting to make headway in getting back to speaking terms, everything blew up in his face again. Why couldn't Dick see that he only hid the information because he cared?

The last thing he wanted was to see Dick's life at risk all over again because of a psychopath obsessed with his very existence.

But there was nothing he could do now. Dick and the other Titans were home by now, searching for their missing friend. Red X...Jason, accompanying them. Truly he hoped Jason could be rehabilitated. He had his doubts, but if anyone could handle the task, it was the Titans. They'd certainly do better than he could. He had his own plans of course...but clearly, they wouldn't have gone well.

It seemed most of his plans had unforeseen consequences these days.

"Master Bruce?" Alfred's arrival with a tray of food and the latest newspaper dragged him out of his silent brooding. "Are you...alright, sir?"

Batman didn't even bother to look in the butler's direction, instead staring into the void for several moments before finally speaking up. "I'm tired, Alfred." He rasped wearily.

"Well I shouldn't wonder." Alfred walked closer to place the tray next to the ragged man, watching with some amount of sorrow as Batman reached for the paper and read the headline. "You've taken no meals since your luncheon with Master Dick and Princess Starfire, and I can't _recall_ when you last slept."

"A weary body can be dealt with." Batman sighed. "But a weary spirit...that's something else." Batman said nothing for several minutes, reading the headline story of the Gotham Times that revealed the Penguin's conviction had been overturned, due to being captured and brought in by Batman, rather than local law enforcement. Batman crumpled the paper with a low grunt and tossed it aside, slumping even further into his chair. "Sometimes old friend...I wonder if I'm really doing any good out there."

"How can you doubt it?" Alfred replied sympathetically. "The lives you've saved, the criminals you've brought to justice."

"I've put out a few fires, yes." Batman admitted as he lazily raised his hand to stop his butler's rebuttal. "Won a few battles...but the war goes on, Alfred...on and on and on..." He leaned forward and rubbed his face with his hand, his voice barely above a whisper. "And the longer the war goes on...the more alone I become in this war." He slowly turned his head to look up at his old friend, who was staring back at him with a sorrowful frown. "Was I wrong, Alfred? Was I wrong to want to protect him and his friends?"

"In my humble opinion, Master Bruce, I would say that it isn't a matter of right or wrong. Life is rarely that simple, and relationships are the least simple of all. Philosophies clash, opinions differ. Perhaps you could have done things differently, but there's no telling what could have happened. That is a risk all parents must face sooner or later."

"I'm not his father, Alfred...much as I've tried to fill that void in his heart."

"Not officially, no. But if I may be so bold, sir...as much as he seems to resent you now, I believe that deep down, he still loves and appreciates you for everything you've done for him. Children rarely see eye to eye with those who raised them upon growing up. True, you may not legally be his father, but I daresay he still sees you as such, and I'm willing to bet anything that he regrets the way things are just as much as you do."

"Perhaps. But perhaps not." Batman sighed and covered his face again. "I just don't know, Alfred. I can only hope that someday we'll be on the same page again." The Dark Knight finally started to get up, slowly pushing himself to his feet using his arms to support himself. "Do you have it, Alfred?" He said as he reached out for the small box next to the untouched tray of food.

"Of course, sir." Alfred handed the box to Batman, and watched as he silently walked back to the Batmobile and drove off into the night again for his meeting in Crime Alley with Leslie Thompkins...to commemorate the night his parents were killed by a punk with a gun. "Stay strong, Master Bruce."

* * *

The moment the Titans touched down on the tower, they were greeted by a very anxious Titans Europe team, sans one member. "I still don't understand it!" Jinx fretted as she tugged on the ends of her pointed hair. "We were just coming back from a mission, we turn around for one second and Jericho was just _gone!"_

"Calm down, Jinx." Robin said with his hands raised. "Is there anything you can tell us about the mission? Did anything out of the ordinary happen?"

With a sigh, the sorceress shook her head and lowered it in shame. "It was a Slade sighting." Jinx didn't notice the sudden narrowing of Robin's eyes. "Several, in fact. The alarms in the tower started blaring at full volume. We could barely hear each other. We headed out to where the sensors pinpointed the locations. I decided it would be better if we stayed together and checked the areas out one at a time. Knowing it was Slade we were facing, I didn't want to run the risk that we'd get picked off one at a time."

"Smart decision." Raven commented.

While they talked, Cyborg headed over to the computer and plugged himself into the mainframe. "I'm accessing the mission archive to get some specifics...Slade appeared in a lot of different places at once according to the sensors, must be using more of those robots of his."

"Where are the locations?" Robin asked.

It took a few more moments before Cyborg had an answer. "Looks like Slade is making a real puzzle for us to solve." He said. "Dude's been spotted in the forest, an old abandoned amusement park, a high school, a grocery store, even a fast food joint."

"Guess even psychopaths like Slade have to eat."

Cyborg didn't bother responding to Beast Boy's bitter joke, as he widened the search beyond Jump City. "He hasn't only been spotted in Jump, here's the Gotham City sighting you mentioned, Rob, and a couple spots a little beyond the city itself."

Robin grunted and crossed his arms for a moment, pushing his resentment towards Batman to the back of his mind. "Never mind Gotham and those other spots. Keep the circle small for now. Now that we're back in Jump, Slade will follow us here."

"Assuming he hasn't been here all along." Hotspot commented. "No way to tell which of those sightings is the real deal."

"Do those locations have anything in common?" Everyone stared at Jason for a moment, as the boy looked back and forth between all his spectators. "What? I'm not allowed to be curious?"

Robin shook off the comment and focused back on the map of Jump City. "The only discernible pattern I can figure from these sightings is that all of these places are places we go to frequently." Robin pointed to the forest, store and restaurant in sequence. "Here, here, and here...we've fought in that forest more than once. That's where we shop for groceries...and that's our go-to fast food if we're not ordering from the pizza parlor."

"So where does the amusement park and the high school fit in?" Raven wondered out loud.

Jason raised his hand. "Mind if I chime in?"

"Please." Starfire nodded eagerly. "If you have some insight that will help us find our friend, it would be most appreciated."

"Alright then." Jason went up to the map and looked at it thoughtfully. "The only thing I can say about the high school is that I uh...well, spent a lot of time there girl watching. There's this one blonde I keep catching a glimpse of, can't remember her name." Jason chuckled nervously at the looks he was getting from the Titans, some disapproving and some teasing. "Yeah...anyway," He cleared his throat to regain his composure. "As for the amusement park, it's a favorite hideout destination for a lot of villains looking to lay low for a while." Jason blinked and turned around when he heard a gasp coming from Beast Boy. "Did I...say something wrong?"

"I know that amusement park." Beast Boy slumped and closed his eyes mournfully. "That's the place Terra took me for our first date...well...our only date, I guess. She doesn't remember who we are anymore." His eyebrows furrowed as anger overtook him. "Slade attacked us there...if I hadn't lost my temper, told her she had no friends..." His fists clenched as self-hatred welled up in him. "Maybe...she could've come back to the good guys, instead of going full villain." All at once, the air in the tower seemed heavier than usual, as the others struggled to find something to say. "I'm sorry...it's just...I have bad memories of that place."

Raven felt the urge to go up to the green changeling, his sorrow screaming at her empathic senses. She could feel the bitterness in his heart, the wound that had been reopened at the mentioning of Terra's name. Strangely, however, she also sensed a feeling of envy...was that Beast Boy? No...Raven quickly came to the conclusion that it was coming from her, or at least a rogue part of her that had yet to be placed under control. Steeling herself and quashing the unwelcome emotion, she finally walked up to Beast Boy and placed a hand on his shoulder, prompting him to look at her with the saddest puppy eyes she'd ever seen, causing her to involuntarily soften her expression. He was just so hurt...there had to be something she could do. "You can't keep blaming yourself, Beast Boy." She said softly. "Terra made her decisions. She was already a part of Slade's plan even while you were treating her like a princess."

"I know." Beast Boy sighed. "Doesn't mean I don't wish I said something else...she was confused, conflicted maybe...I feel like I pushed her over the edge."

"Look, Beast Boy," Now Jinx spoke up, with a much less sympathetic tone. "Take it from someone who knows what it's like to be on the dark side. That temptation is hard to resist. Being evil brings hope of a life of riches, freedom to do what you want, control over others, that's not something you can just shake free from until it either gets you killed, or something better comes along to make you see the light."

"Like yours truly." Kid Flash took a bow.

Jinx's eyes briefly glowed pink and the speedster found himself slipping and falling on his butt while she smirked at him. "Anyway...the point is, she screwed up. You did everything you could to get her to see reason and she still chose to side with Slade. There was nothing you could've done."

"Oh yeah?" Beast Boy snarled and stomped over to Jinx. "Tell me something, if Kid Flash hadn't convinced you to stop being a villain, what would you be doing right now?" Jinx had no response for that. "That's what I thought. Sometimes all it takes is being nice to get someone to change, and instead I turned my back on her like a massive jerk! Maybe it wasn't my fault, but I sure didn't make it any better!"

"Enough!" Robin's bark silenced the room. "No offense Beast Boy, there's no way to say this nicely...but right now Terra doesn't matter. She's living a life as a regular girl, with no memory of who she used to be. Right now we have to figure out where Jericho is. It's time for you to let go of the past."

"You mean like you and Batman?" Beast Boy scoffed, much to Robin's annoyance. "Oh wait, that's right, you're like the king of holding grudges aren't ya? Slade, Batman, Jason, how's _your_ past-letting-go-of going?"

"Robin's looking narked..." Argent whispered nervously to Hotspot. "I think he's about to go off his trolley."

"If by that you mean, Robin's about to kick Beast Boy's can, I think you're right."

Robin's teeth gnashed as he clenched and unclenched his fists several times. "You have a problem with me, Beast Boy? We can take it to the gym after this is over!"

"Who needs the gym?! I'll take you right here, right now! I'm sick of you telling me how I should feel when you can't even take your own advice!"

"I was just trying to help!"

"I don't _need_ your help!"

"QUIET!" A wall of black magic suddenly separated the two Titans, as Raven stepped in and gave both boys a glare that could melt Cyborg's metal parts. "I'm only going to say this once. You both have some serious issues to work out. Not with each other, but as individuals. There's no time for this nonsense! We have an M.I.A. Titan out there, and he needs our help, so I suggest you both get over your feelings and start getting ready to look for him."

"Like you're one to talk!" The changeling snarled. "You don't even _have_ feelings, Raven!" Beast Boy stormed out of the room while rubbing tears from his eyes, leaving the rest of the Titans stunned at what they'd just heard.

As for Raven, her magic faded as she closed her eyes and she disappeared into a portal without another word.

The remaining Titans looked at each other awkwardly, unsure of where to go from here. "Um...I know this isn't a good time..." Kid Flash finally said with a cough. "But think we should go take another look for Jericho?"

Several moments later, Robin huffed and looked back to the map. "Right. We'll split into two groups." Robin turned to face his teammates, who still looked distinctly uncomfortable. "Starfire, you'll come with me and Hotspot to search all of Slade's old hideouts on the east side of the city. Jinx, take Argent and Kid Flash and search the west side. Cyborg, you stay here and coordinate the search. If anymore Slade sightings come up, no matter where they are, let me know."

"That include Gotham?"

Robin sighed. "Yes. Including Gotham."

"And what of Beast Boy and Raven?" Starfire asked quietly.

"This isn't really my place..." Jason said hesitantly, garnering their attention. "But for what it's worth, Beast Boy and I seemed to really hit it off. I doubt you're gonna let me leave the tower...so...since I'll have nothing else to do, maybe I can go talk to him?"

Robin lowered his head and closed his eyes for a few moments. "Beast Boy's right about one thing." He said with a grunt. "I _do_ hold onto grudges." Robin looked Jason right in the eyes and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I've spent a lot of time unwilling to trust you, Jason. I've been treating you like you're still wearing the Red X suit. But you've saved my team, you saved Batgirl's life. You deserve the benefit of the doubt."

"Seriously?" Jason raised an eyebrow. "What brought this on?"

"What brought this on is that I've got to start forgiving people." Robin replied as he removed his hand from Jason's shoulder and turned his back to him. "Being like Batman...it's made me a great crimefighter, but sometimes it makes me a lousy person. I don't want to be that." He turned to face Jason again. "I forgive you for what you did, and I believe that Starfire is right. All you've needed is a chance to prove you're more than what you've been all this time. This is your chance. Go talk to Beast Boy, I think he could use a friend right now. A friend that isn't me."

Jason just stared blankly before finally blinking and stammering out a response. "Sure...yeah...sure. I'll uh...go do that."

"Good." Robin turned his attention to the other Titans. "We're going to find Jericho...and after that, I think we need to call all the Titans together for an outing. It's time we remembered what it's like to have fun as a team."

"I believe that is the most glorious idea I have ever heard, Robin."

Robin relinquished a smile at Starfire's approval. "Alright then, first thing's first. Find Jericho. Titans, go!"

* * *

Crime Alley was home to some of the most rotten, despicable pieces of human debris the already corrupt city had to offer. It was a wonder that good, honest folks even bothered to live there. But times were tough, and the homes there were effective roofs over their heads. Some other individuals simply didn't care to buy into the reputation that came with the name. One such individual was Dr. Leslie Thompkins, an old friend of the Wayne family, and one of the few people Batman entrusted with the knowledge of his true identity.

She was there to comfort him when he was only a child, and each year, on the anniversary of his parents' death, he and Leslie would meet late at night when everyone was asleep, to honor their memory. Upon reaching the appointed meeting place, the very spot where they died engraved into his memory, Batman saw Leslie waiting there for him, a kind smile on her aged face.

"You seem quieter than usual tonight."

Batman waited a few moments before responding, looking down at the concrete which had long since been paved over, stripped of his parents' blood. "Every year I come here," He finally said wearily. "I wonder if it should be the last time...if I should put the past behind me, try to lead a normal life."

Leslie reached up to place a comforting hand on Batman's shoulder. "Santayana said that those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it."

"He also said a fanatic is someone who redoubles his efforts while losing sight of his goal." Batman knelt down, and from behind his cape he revealed the small case given to him by Alfred, which contained nothing more than two pristine, red roses. After placing them on the ground, he remained silent for several minutes, reflecting on his life and what led him to this point. He could feel Leslie's comforting presence behind him, though the woman said nothing while he was lost in thought. "Did you hear that Dick came back to Gotham?"

"I did. He's grown into a fine young man. And he seems to have attracted a very beautiful young lady to his side."

"Yes." Batman stood back up, never moving his sight from the flowers he placed on the ground. Then, the sound of a crash around the corner captured his attention, and the Dark Knight's head slowly raised as his honed instincts determined that trouble was brewing. "Excuse me, Leslie." Batman silently stalked around the corner, and it didn't take much detective work to notice the two burly men about to mug a young man against a garbage dumpster. Just as the skinnier man reeled back his brass-knuckled fist, Batman reached out and picked the man up and tossed him into the dumpster.

"Willie?!" His cohort exclaimed in shock. Then the other thug noticed that his friend had been thrown out like trash by none other than Batman, and his heart began to pound in fear. "You're mine later!" The thug snarled at the kid before turning to run around the same corner Batman came from. But before he knew it, his legs had been wrapped up by a Batarang attached to a cord, and he hit the ground with a hard thud, knocking him out cold.

"Hey Bats, don't worry about me." The kid suddenly spat out bitterly as Batman went over to collect the thug he'd just been saved from. "I don't need help from some jerk in long underwear."

That response wasn't exactly appreciated, but Batman had heard worse...but then his throat tightened up, as he saw that the thug he'd just defeated fell on top of the flowers he'd placed to commemorate his parents. Hands shaking, he reached down from underneath the thug's belly and pulled out the flowers, staring in horror as they were utterly crushed by the impact. When he sensed the boy trying to sneak off, he grit his teeth and grabbed him by the shoulder with his free hand, stopping him in his tracks.

Is this what he was fighting for? Spineless, ungrateful punks who were just as bad as the people he saved them from? Is this what he was sacrificing his life, his surrogate family for? Was it really worth it anymore? The more he fought crime, the more isolated he seemed to become. Did no one value his mission? Did anyone care? Batman wanted to unleash his frustrations, he wanted to give the boy a piece of his mind. Did he not realize what he'd just saved him from? He would have been dead if he hadn't shown up! But...no...that wasn't his way. What this kid needed was some perspective in life, and he knew just how to give it to him. He pushed the boy towards Leslie, who was silently watching the whole time. "Think there's room in the Mitchell Street Mission for one more?"

Leslie smiled. "Of course."

Batman personally escorted the boy and Leslie all the way there, his mind wandering in the relative silence. Sure, the boy was protesting the whole time, but Batman had already tuned him out. There had to be a reason to continue the fight, to look the abyss in the eye and scoff at it as if it were nothing. He took up the Batman persona as a means of ensuring no one would ever lose his parents the way he did again. But at what cost? The loss of his friends, his remaining family...was it worth it? That's when he received an alert from one of the devices in his utility belt, alerting him to his tardiness to another mission that desperately needed his attention.

Someone else in his surrogate family needed him.

"Aren't you going home?" Leslie asked as Batman walked down the stairs of the Mitchell Street Mission. "It's almost 3 A.M."

"Promises to keep, Leslie." Batman replied wearily as he glanced over his shoulder. "I have promises to keep." With that said, he took a few steps forward and pulled out his grapple, firing at its maximum range to get maximum distance. His detour put him severely behind schedule...and much to his horror, by the time he was close enough to the bust, he could hear gunshots going off. "It's a trap!" Batman could only watch as a police helicopter started going down behind him, and he landed on the roof just as the helicopter crashed to the ground and exploded, the two passengers narrowly able to escape. The light from the blast fully illuminated Batman in the darkness, and he hoped that his presence would take the heat off of the police.

"This was a setup!" He barely heard Commissioner Gordon shouting from below. "The Jazzman was ready for us!"

That much was clear. But who tipped him off? Batman decided to add that to his already long list of mysteries to solve. For now, he had to stop the gunfire before someone got hurt. Wrapping a line around a pole, Batman lowered himself just enough to be able to toss some smoke pellets through the holes in the window. Once the tear gas took effect, the shots stopped as the men inside started coughing violently, allowing Batman an opening to chase after the Jazzman.

"What's the deal? We couldn't get close enough to use tear gas!"

Batman could picture the annoyed expression on Harvey Bullock's face as he made his way to the other side of the building. More than likely, Jazzman had a vehicle parked in the alley he could use to make his escape after the deal went down. And sure enough, the sound of a massive semi truck engine roaring to life echoed in the alley below, and Batman changed course to run along the rooftop, waiting for his chance to leap onto the truck and stop the Jazzman.

"Along for the ride, Bats?!" Jazzman snarled from the driver's seat. "Well hold on tight!" Jazzman slammed down the gas pedal, forcing Batman to brace himself so he wouldn't get thrown off the truck just as the Jazzman rammed through the police barricade. Now there was no one left to stop the Jazzman except for Batman. Once he was able to regain his bearings, Batman carefully planted his feet onto the back of the truck, attaching a solid metal chain to the end of his grapple and tying it to the hitch of the semi. The Dark Knight took aim, and fired the grapple to a thick metal pole, jumping off before the line went taut and sending the semi swinging into the side of a building, effectively stopping the Jazzman in his tracks.

Batman sneaked into the nearby alley and sighed heavily as the police came rushing in to collect their prisoner. Finally, he could go home and maybe even sleep. Alfred was right about one thing, it had been a very long time since he last rested his body. Perhaps a good eight hours of bed rest was all he needed to recharge his batteries?

"Looks like the fat lady just sung, Jimmy."

Batman rolled his eyes under his cowl as Harvey Bullock smirked down at the unconscious criminal.

"Hey, where's the commish? He should see this." Bullock looked around to see where Commissioner Gordon had gotten off to. Maybe he got turned around in all the excitement. "Commissioner?" Then all at once, Bullock's face sunk as he pushed aside the two S.W.A.T. officers standing in his way. "Oh my God..."

Now Batman was also aware of what had happened, and he gasped in horror at the sight before him, his heart beating painfully in his chest. "No...please, God, no..."

Laying on the ground in a small pool of blood, was the unmoving body of Commissioner James Gordon.

* * *

 **A/N: Recall how I said this story was meant to be part of what I call the DC EXTENDED Animated Universe? This is precisely what I mean. Fans of Batman: The Animated Series will recall the scenes playing out in this chapter, those from the episodes "Old Wounds" and "I Am the Night." Naturally, there are some small liberties taken to allow them to work into Teen Titans canon, but otherwise they are mostly untouched from the genius that Bruce Timm and Paul Dini put together nearly 30 years ago.**

 **All I'm doing, is connecting them even more and giving more depth to a story that once was just standalone. But with the addition of the Titans to the mix, naturally things WILL change. The only question is...how? You'll have to wait and see! So stay tuned folks, the best is yet to come! Leave a review if you enjoyed! Goodnight!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Greetings everyone, I hope everyone is safe and well in the wake of this coronavirus pandemic. Have to say, it really came out of nowhere. One day I'm work, the next I'm being told to stay home. I imagine the scenario is the same for many of you out there now. Well, I hope that this new chapter gives you all something to enjoy for a brief respite during our self-quarantines. But before we do that, allow me to address the anonymous reviews from the last chapter.**

 **vi: The plot thickens even more, so stay tuned.**

 **Gothamlightwing (from Chapter 1): To answer your question, the reason Robin left Batman under those conditions is because that's how it happened in the DC Animated Universe. It was revealed in the episode Old Wounds (adapted to fit this universe of course) that Robin grew sick of Batman's overly controlling methodology and went to establish himself as his own person, separate from Batman. That fits right into Robin's motivations for going to Jump City at the beginning of the Teen Titans timeline. This is why it's called the DCEAU, it stands for the DC EXTENDED Animated Universe. Many of the elements present in this story and future stories will be ripped straight out of episodes of the numerous shows that compile the DCAU as a whole. Even now, you're seeing elements of the episode "I Am the Night" from Batman: The Animated Series playing out right before you, but with a Titans twist. Hope that answered your question!**

 **Guest: Thank you!**

 **Alright, time to continue the story. Enjoy everyone. I own nothing except the story.**

* * *

Raven was not the least bit surprised. She should have known this would all come crashing down around her sooner or later. She should have known that Beast Boy couldn't be trusted to maintain a cool head while under duress. She should have known that eventually, he would turn on her just like he'd done so many other times before. She should have known he would take his anger out on everyone else. He always did when Terra became the topic of discussion.

Yet she found her heart aching as if she'd taken a harsh blow to the gut.

Safe within the confines of her room after her abrupt teleport, Raven wasted no time going over to her magic mirror and staring into it, waiting for the inevitable pull that would suck her physical self into her own mind, where she could confront her rogue emotions and finally put them in check. Clearly, it was long overdue. She would be no good to anyone in her current state.

Moments later, the spell finally took effect and she closed her eyes as the vacuum sensation enveloped her. Once it stopped and she opened her eyes, Raven found herself in the mystical realm of Nevermore, the dimension where her emotions each lived in their own separate domain, easily identifiable by the environment in which they resided. Timid's territory was the maze, a place where she couldn't be found unless she wanted to be, which was extremely rare in its own right. Raven figured this was where she'd land, given the fact she felt as small and weak as a church mouse after Beast Boy's thoughtless comment. Did he have to say that to her? Why would he seemingly go out of his way to be kind to her only to turn around and cruelly berate her? Did…did he hate-

"Stop!" Raven suddenly shouted out loud as she realized where her mind was going. With a wave of her arms, Raven dissipated the maze, leaving the trembling, grey-cloaked emotion without a place to hide. "Timid, we need to talk."

"He hates me."

"No, he doesn't. He's just angry. That's what Beast Boy does. He talks without thinking."

"He thinks we're cruel, we treat him horribly." The emotion continued to rant and sob, never once looking up to face her true self. "We'll never be like Terra, we'll never be what he wants us to be."

"We don't _need_ to be what he wants us to be. What he wants is irrelevant. Now you need to calm down!" But no matter what Raven said or did, Timid would not stop her tirade of self-hatred…and the longer it went on, the more Raven felt it, and her emotional control was starting to waver. "I can't stay here, I'll lose myself to this!" Raven reformed the maze and levitated away, hoping to find an emotion that she could reason with. Surely Knowledge would be able to help if Raven could find her. The yellow, bespectacled emotion was pure logic and information, barely even an emotion to be honest. In many cases, Knowledge was her anchor, allowing her to stay in control by clinging to cold, hard facts. Destination in mind, Raven flew off at full speed to Knowledge's domain.

Knowledge's home was clean, practical, and about as boring and sterile as one could imagine. White walls with plain pillars and a roof on the outside, very little in the way of decorative accessories. On the inside, however, was a rich, colorful display of books on shelves as far as the eye could see. This is where Raven felt most comfortable. Here is where everything she knew and everything she could remember was kept, taken care of by the best, most organized librarian possible: her own emotion. "Knowledge, where are you?" But as soon as Raven entered the building, her eyes widened as she observed the state of disarray the library was in. Books were disorganized, some were just laying on the ground, splayed out carelessly as if they'd been briefly glanced at and then tossed aside. "What happened here? It looks like a tornado blew through."

"Or a beast ransacked it."

Raven blinked as her own voice echoed back at her, and she noticed Knowledge walking in from the hallway across from her. The yellow-cloaked emotion was carrying a stack of books over two feet high, and with a grunt of exertion she placed it onto the desk closest to her before taking a seat, grabbing the book on top and quickly flipping through it. Raven raised an eyebrow and went over to Knowledge, who had yet to look away from her book. "Mind if I ask what's so interesting?" Raven received no response, prompting her to sigh. "Knowledge, I need your help. I can feel Timid and Rage getting stronger and I'm...concerned I won't be able to control them."

"I already _am_ helping."

"You are?"

"Yes. Or, I should say, I'm _trying_ to help. But there are certain things that raw logic can't fix." Knowledge got up from her book and finally looked at Raven, her studious gaze making Raven feel like a bug under a microscope. "As of late, I've been combing over every bit of data we have on Beast Boy. Things we know about him, his history, his personality, and memories we have that involve him, whether good or bad." All of a sudden, the library began to shake, causing more books to fall out of shelves and knocking both Knowledge and Raven to their feet. "That is rather...irritating." The stoic emotion said with the slightest edge to her voice.

"What was that?"

"Our most recent interaction with Beast Boy has left us feeling emotionally unstable. I'm sure you've noticed by now, hence your presence here to locate me."

Raven scowled as she dusted herself off. "This obsession with Beast Boy needs to stop. He's the same immature brat he's always been." That comment earned her a harsh, demeaning glare from her yellow self, which made Raven flinch as normally the intellectual emotion was as expressive as a statue. "What? You too? You're supposed to be the logical one, tell me I'm wrong in saying Beast Boy is immature and insensitive."

"You're wrong." Knowledge walked past the stunned Raven and began picking up the fallen books, doing her best to put everything back. "Our library is extensive, Raven, but you have an unfortunate tendency to only pay attention to the facts you want to pay attention to. Furthermore, what you know but fail to acknowledge is even facts can be viewed through different lenses. Those lenses are your emotions."

Raven crossed her arms. "Your point being?"

"My point is depending on which emotion you're feeling, facts can either be seen as positive or negative. Would you care to observe?" Knowledge waved her hand, and two portals appeared from behind her. From those portals, two more emoticlones emerged, and when they saw each other, one gave a sympathetic expression to the other, who was trembling. "Currently, these two emotions are at war with each other in your soul. You recognize them, of course."

"How can't I?" Raven deadpanned as she looked between the two emotions. One of them was Timid, who Raven abandoned in the maze after failing to get through to her. Timid still didn't seem willing to talk to anyone, and she was on her knees with her hood completely hiding her face. The other, was the emotion Raven blamed for all of this. "Timid I'm used to. But you," Raven stepped up to the purple-cloaked emotion. "Finally I can stop you before it gets any worse. Stop making me feel things I don't really feel, you can't hijack me whenever you feel like it! If you are the emotion you seem to be, don't you realize what you're doing? Everyone we care about could be hurt because of what you're doing!"

"You're still missing the point." Knowledge pushed her glasses up her nose. "She is not _doing anything._ She, along with the rest of us, are merely manifestations of your own emotions. We cannot force you to feel anything you do not already feel in some capacity. And I would not know that, if _you_ did not know that. Timid is the manifestation of your fear, sadness, and insecurity, among other emotions. I am the manifestation of your knowledge and memories, as well as your ability to be logical and remain grounded. This is why you rely on me so much. Everything I am in charge of, other emotions can access and change depending on the way _you_ feel."

Raven scowled from under her hood. "And you're telling me that she's gotten so strong because I'm in love with Beast Boy? _Beast Boy?_ Do you have any idea how ridiculous that sounds?"

"As I said, I'm not telling you anything you don't already know." Knowledge continued with her cleaning of the library, with Affection going over to try and help with a kind smile on her face. "The only reason you're here now talking to us, is because you refuse to _believe_ what you're thinking. Beast Boy does indeed have many negative qualities, but he has quite the abundance of positive ones as well."

"He really does." Affection finally spoke up, looking into one of the books that she previously picked up.

At that exact moment, Raven felt a strange warmth flood her chest, one that involuntarily caused her to smile, and it was mere seconds after that, that Timid finally stopped her sobbing, now quieted down to a slight sniffle. "What is this feeling..." But then Raven's eyes snapped open and she frowned once again, as she rushed over to snatch the book away from Affection with a harsh glare. "I said stop it! What are you even looking at?!" Raven looked into the book, and her anger began to fade as the memory played out before her through the pictured page she was viewing.

* * *

 _After Malchior's defeat, Raven was left with nothing but a broken room and a broken heart. For the first time in her life, she had someone who truly understood her, someone who shared her love of learning and of the mystic arts. But he turned out to be an evil, manipulative beast who merely preyed on her loneliness to get her to use her power to release him from the cursed book he was trapped in for so many years. She gave him what he wanted, seduced by his promises of companionship and even love. She truly felt happy, cared for, in ways that no one had ever done before._

 _And it was all a lie._

 _After she placed the book entrapping Malchior away into a special enchanted chest, she fell to her knees as she closed it, only barely finding the strength to stand back up again after her ordeal. She was such a fool, daring to hope someone could love her as she was and for who she was. The ache in her chest was numbing, draining her of any desire to ever come out of her room again._

 _Then she heard a knock on the door._

 _"Raven? It's me..." It was Beast Boy, sounding quite sad if she heard his tone through the door correctly, not to mention his emotions. "Look...I'm sorry."_

 _Raven took a few tentative steps towards her door; her raw and unguarded empathic senses could strongly feel just how sorry Beast Boy felt for her, how sad he was on her behalf. "For what?" She asked without opening the door, her voice revealing her confusion and vulnerability as it wavered. "You're not the one who-"_

 _He cut her off suddenly. "No...I'm sorry that...he broke your heart."_

 _That comment made her heart clench even more. Holding back tears was becoming even more difficult now, especially with Beast Boy on the other side of the door feeding her sadness with his own...and yet, somehow his presence felt comforting at this moment. His grief made her feel slightly lighter, as morbid as she felt that was. "I know it was all a lie..." She said as she placed a hand over her painfully beating heart. "But he was the only person who ever made me feel like I wasn't...creepy." She sighed sadly, remembering Beast Boy's comment of her creepiness not long ago. "And don't try to tell me I'm not."_

 _"Okay, fine. You're_ way _creepy..." That comment caused Raven to lower her head and look at her floor, but Beast Boy continued. "But that doesn't mean you have to stay locked in your room...you think you're alone, Raven. But you're not."_

 _Raven raised her eyes back towards the door, and she opened the door to see Beast Boy standing there, staring at her with a sympathetic...and understanding expression. Now she understood why he came to her at this exact moment, now she understood why he cared. Truly, she was not alone, but that was two-fold. No doubt, Beast Boy meant to say that he and the other Titans were there for her during her time of grieving. That much she could sense on the surface. But in the seconds that she spent just looking at him, her empathic powers could feel the sore spot in Beast Boy's soul, the one that brought him to her room now. She was not alone in how she felt._

 _He, too, had been the victim of a broken heart._

 _No one knew more about how she felt now than Beast Boy. Just as Malchior led her on, wormed his way into her heart and then shattered it, Terra had done the same to Beast Boy. They were closer to each other than any of the other Titans, and from day one Beast Boy took a particular liking to the geokinetic blonde. But Terra's actions broke Beast Boy's heart not once, but twice. Once when he learned she betrayed him and the others, and the second time when she finally seemed to come to her senses, only to sacrifice her life to save him and the entire city._

 _Raven walked up to the changeling and huffed out a shaky puff of breath, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and squeezing her eyes shut to avoid any chance of crying. It was out of character, it was unexpected, but she couldn't find it in her to care. She needed this, she needed the comforting familiarity, the close contact of someone who knew how she felt and was trustworthy beyond the shadow of a doubt. Beast Boy was annoying, Beast Boy was sometimes even obnoxious, but his heart was pure and his feelings rang true. He cared for her, and genuinely wanted her to be happy. He never returned the embrace, only allowing her to hold him for several moments before pulling away and looking at her with a dumbfounded expression...but she didn't need a physical reciprocation of her embrace._

 _His emotions had already hugged and comforted her soul more than he would ever know._

* * *

"Do you understand now?" Affection said as the memory came to a close. "I'm not doing anything, Raven. It's just the way you feel. Beast Boy does have an unfortunate tendency to speak without thinking, I'll admit it. But he never means to hurt you. And he always comes back to apologize if he does."

"Her statement is accurate." Knowledge briefly chimed in.

Raven said nothing for several moments, eventually furrowing her eyebrows as she glanced at her purple-cloaked version of herself. "Fine. So he doesn't mean to hurt us. Doesn't mean he deserves to be let off the hook."

"Oh I agree," Affection replied much to Raven's visible surprise. "Beast Boy should be punished for saying what he said to you. But that doesn't mean we hate him, and that doesn't mean we should expect him to be perfect from now on."

"I don't hate him, what are you talking about?" Raven scoffed. "Beast Boy is an amazing friend, all I'm saying is I don't think I'm in love with him."

"Point of order." Knowledge raised a finger as she used her other hand to push her glasses up her nose. "We never said you were in love with Beast Boy. We merely wanted you to stop going out of your way to speak negatively of him. The only one who's even used the word love is you."

Raven's eyes widened before she glared at her two emotions and her fists clenched. "This discussion is pointless. You two are twisting my words into something they're not. I am not in love with Beast Boy, I will _never_ be in love with Beast Boy, and after what he said to me, I don't even care if he likes me or not!"

"Raven-"

"No! You be quiet!" The empath barked at her purple self. "This nonsense has gone on long enough and I'm putting a stop to it _now!_ Beast Boy is an arrogant, irrational, and illogical excuse for a human being! He's so busy worrying about someone who doesn't even remember who she used to be that every time she comes up in conversation, he feels the need to chew out the people who actually _do_ care about him!"

"Raven, it would be wise for you to-"

"I don't wanna hear it from you either, Knowledge!" Raven's eyes glowed white as her power began to manifest and swirl around the already ruined library. "You all think you can convince me of something that _cannot_ be true, and for what?! What possible purpose can there be for you to constantly make me lose control and put our own friends in danger?!"

"Please, please stop!"

Suddenly the sky outside grew dark, and the air became heavy as Raven and the other emoticlones present looked around the room for the source of the suddenly foreboding atmosphere. "This is exceedingly bad." Knowledge deadpanned.

Then bursting through the ceiling, sending rubble hurtling down towards Raven and the other emoticlones, came the most dangerous emotion of all. Rage. "You will pay for your idiocy!" The angry red emoticlone swooped down and grabbed the real Raven by the front of her cloak, slamming her against the wall with both eyes burning red with hatred. "Say one more thing about him! Give me an excuse to end you!" But Raven didn't get a chance to respond, as Rage lifted her over her shoulder and threw her into another bookshelf, causing even more books to fall to the floor. Then before Raven could get up, Rage was on her again, clawing and slashing at Raven like a rabid animal. "You're worthless as a demon, and a pathetic excuse for a human!" Rage kicked Raven across the room, and as soon as she was able to get back up to her feet, Raven put up a shield only for Rage to start putting cracks in it with her power. "You push people away every chance you get, and every time someone gets too close you shut us out and silence us like we're worthless pieces of-"

"Enough!" Raven grunted with exertion and pushed Rage back with a burst of energy. "Azarath metrion zinthos!" Her words took form as a magical restraint, binding the snarling emotion from chest to toe as she fought to break free. "I'm not going to give you a chance to take control again, you're going back where you belong, and this time there's no room for debate." But then Rage just chuckled evilly, causing Raven to raise an eyebrow. "Is that funny to you?"

"You think you can just make me go away whenever you want. Just because our father is banished from this world doesn't mean I stop existing you foolish girl." Rage grinned up at Raven with sharp, jagged teeth. "You're only making me stronger, and eventually I won't need to _try_ to take control. You'll give it to me."

"Ridiculous. I would never lose control to that extent."

"Oh? Then what was that outburst just a few seconds ago?" Rage's grin seemed to grow. "Face it. You're practically handing me the keys, and then everyone will pay."

Raven felt her heart begin to race, and she could see Timid starting to curl into herself again in her peripheral vision. Could it really be true? Her other emotions were trying to warn her to calm down and she ignored them. Looking back at Rage, whose eyes seemed to be fading from their angry red glow, Raven released her aggressive emotion and backed away. She closed her eyes, taking several deep breaths as she tried to center herself before she could lose control again. "I will not let you control me." She said as calmly as she could. Then with a wave of her hands, several more portals opened, and the rest of her emotions suddenly joined them in the library, all waiting for Raven to react. "I see what I have to do now." Raven glanced over to Knowledge, who gave a nod and began bringing books over for her to look at. "Let's try this again, from the top."

"Very good." Knowledge said with an approving smirk. "I think you'll find that your anger is not necessarily unjustified. However, it is being misdirected. I'll show you what I mean...but first," Knowledge glanced at Affection, giving the purple emotion a knowing expression. "I believe there's something you need to be witness to."

* * *

As Jason wandered around the tower looking for Beast Boy's room, he found himself wondering what exactly he was going to say to the shape-shifting superhero. True, he was getting along with Beast Boy, more than he even dreamed he could, but pep talks weren't exactly his forte. He hadn't given many in his young life, not since the encouraging looks he gave his fellow underdwellers back when he was a little boy. Even then, words were never exchanged. He watched the entire exchange between Robin, Raven and Beast Boy and couldn't believe what he was seeing. All this time, he believed the Titans were just a bunch of goody-two-shoes who sat around campfires singing kumbaya and toasting their unbreakable friendship. Sure they would get on each other's nerves, but as far as real fights? The thought never crossed his mind.

But, after he saw Beast Boy chew out Raven and Robin, it became clear to him that the Titans, in their own way, were just as human as anyone. Beast Boy told him they had their own dark pasts, their own flaws that they fought to overcome every day. Now, he got to see it for himself. It was sobering in a way. What could he say to Beast Boy that could possibly make him feel better? Did he need validation? A reality check? Jason shook his head as he felt a headache coming on. "Things were a lot simpler when I was just looking out for myself." When he finally found Beast Boy's room, he knocked on the door. "Beast Boy, you in there? It's uh...it's Jason." But after a few minutes of knocking and callouts, there was still no answer. "Okay...let's try it this way then." Taking a glance at the number panel at the wall, Jason went over and pressed a series of buttons, which when he finished, opened the door with a whoosh. "Typical. Making your combo your birthday, so dumb."

The moment Jason walked in, however, he was hit with a wave of stink that nearly knocked him on his back. "What died in here?!" Jason plugged his nose and kept exploring the room, carefully stepping to avoid anything that would be hazardous to his health. "Beast Boy?" But after a few moments, it was abundantly clear the room was unoccupied, which frankly made sense. "So if he's not in here, then where is he?" He walked around a little more, sidestepping a mile high pile of laundry, and he looked out the window to see the pacific ocean. The water was calm and offered a perfect reflection of the moon, the waves gently lapping the shoreline for a completely serene atmosphere. Jason let himself smile as he leaned on the windowsill and took a moment to enjoy the peace...and that's when he heard a grunt of exertion from down below.

Glancing down, Jason spotted Beast Boy, apparently throwing rocks into the ocean in a display of frustration. Without a second thought, Jason took off running towards the nearest exit, finally stopping when he was several yards away from the changeling. Then he switched to a casual walk, choosing to make sure Beast Boy knew he was there before speaking up as he stood there with his hands behind his back, watching as Beast Boy chucked stone after stone into the ocean, apparently trying to skip them, not just throw them as hard as he could. "Y'know...there is a trick to that."

"Yeah...I could never get it down." Beast Boy grumbled just before launching another stone with a harsh grunt. Sighing, Beast Boy turned to glance at the younger boy. "What are you doing out here?"

"Looking for you." Jason took a few steps closer. "You've had my back all this time...well...I figured now was as good a time as any to return the favor."

Beast Boy looked away with a derisive smirk. "Guess I can't complain. I appreciate it, dude, but this isn't something you can really help with." Beast Boy tried again, and this time the rock skipped once before plopping into the water. "Man...she was always so good at this, even without her powers."

"Who? Raven?"

Beast Boy shook his head, slowly making his way to a large rock and taking a seat, staring out into the water. "I dunno why I even bother sometimes. Raven's just...Raven. No matter how nice I try to be, she always turns me away."

"That's not what I've been seeing since you guys came to get me." Jason tentatively took a seat on the rock next to the green Titan. "From what I can tell, you two actually get along surprisingly well...but as mad as I think you are at Raven right now-"

"I'm not mad at Raven." Beast Boy cut him off with a sad sigh, dipping his head in shame. "I'm mad at myself. I can't believe I said that to her. She must hate me for sure now."

Jason said nothing, choosing instead to just lean an elbow on his knee as he glanced out at the water again. Already this pep talk wasn't going well. What did he know of Raven's feelings after Beast Boy's comment? He had to admit, it was a pretty rotten thing to say, and yet he couldn't help but feel there was more to it than he realized. That's when he saw Beast Boy pull a butterfly hairpin out of his pocket, staring at it sorrowfully. "What's that? If...you don't mind my asking."

Beast Boy's glanced at Jason for a few pregnant moments, then looked out to the sea again before finally speaking up. "How much do you know about our history, Jason?"

"A little. I mostly know about Dick. Why?"

Beast Boy again hesitated to answer, glancing down at the hairpin before fixing his gaze back at the water. "Her name was Terra. She was my best friend...and...I hoped that someday she'd be my girlfriend."

"The pin belong to her?"

Beast Boy nodded, never looking away from the water. "I always thought she was beautiful. And she was so much fun to be around. She actually laughed at my jokes, she was just so easy to be myself around." Beast Boy closed his eyes as the wound in his soul reopened. "But she was scared...scared of her own powers, that she'd lose control of them and hurt someone. When Robin realized she couldn't control them very well, she thought I broke my promise to keep it a secret from the others. Then she came back months later, and she was even more amazing than before. She was confident, strong, and still just as fun as ever. Maybe even more. But..." He clenched his eyes tighter. "She got that control from Slade...he promised to give her control of her powers, in exchange for our lives. But she might've been able to change at the last minute, if I just hadn't gone full jerk on her during our date...just like I did just now with Raven."

"Sounds like you were stuck between a rock and a hard place."

"You don't know the half of it." Beast Boy finally opened his eyes, a slight shimmer to them as tears started to brim. "I cared about her so much...and even though she went along with Slade's plan, even trying to kill us all...I still hoped, prayed, that maybe...just maybe, the Terra I fell in love with was still in there." Finally a tear rolled down his cheek, followed soon by more. "I was so angry at her...angry at myself...all I wanted was to find her, and take all that anger out on her and Slade the next time I saw her." His voice began to waver as he took his free hand and wiped his eyes with it. "I still remember the look on her face when I found her in Slade's base. She was so sad, so alone...she actually _begged me_ to kill her so Slade couldn't use her powers against her will anymore...in the end, just when it mattered most, Terra took back control of her life...and chose to sacrifice herself to save us from the volcano she accidentally made when she took away Slade's control over her. She died a hero, and that's how I'll always choose to remember her. I just can't help but think that maybe...if I hadn't turned my back on her when I did, maybe we could've been happy together, instead of her choosing to go with Slade."

Jason watched in stunned silence at the somber tone being used by Beast Boy. He always pictured Beast Boy as this happy-go-lucky guy, the class clown who did everything he could to make others smile, even at his own expense. To know that he was carrying such a burden in his heart, Jason found his respect for the hero growing. "So..." Jason finally said. "If you say she died, then what was that whole discussion in the tower a while ago? From what I hear, she's alive and well."

"Well she is...at least I think she is." Beast Boy finally turned to look at Jason, but only for a few moments as the hairclip again took his attention. "I saw her at Jump City High School months ago, but she said she didn't remember who I was. I took her out for her favorite pizza, but she said she hated the toppings I chose for her. I showed her her old room, with stars on the ceiling because she liked to sleep outside...but she said she hated being outdoors."

"Do you believe her?"

Beast Boy shrugged. "I dunno. She seems perfectly happy being a normal girl...I check in on her every now and then, I have to admit. But part of me can't help but feel like she still remembers us, deep down. Maybe she's just moved on...I've been trying to do the same but...it's just so hard."

"I can understand that." Jason sighed. "Look, buddy...can I call you that?"

"Don't see why not." Beast Boy shrugged again, finally relinquishing the tiniest of smiles. "We're friends, aren't we?"

Jason returned the smile. "Yeah." Then his expression grew serious once more. "Anyway...I'm not gonna sit here and say you were justified in doing what you did to Terra. Far as I'm concerned, the only people who deserve to be treated like crap are the jerks who go out of their way to hurt other people, like Slade, and the Sewer King...but I will say that Terra made her own choices. We can't control what other people do anymore than a leopard can change its spots."

"You're only half right." Beast Boy looked over to Jason, his face set in a grim line. "I couldn't control what Terra chose to do, it really was her choice to betray us, she chose to break my heart...I even told her that to her face." Beast Boy closed his eyes and frowned deeply before looking back at Jason. "But people _can_ change, no one has to be the way they are if they don't want to be. Terra decided to sacrifice herself for us, Jinx decided to switch sides...and you...you're changing too. You used to try to kill us...now you're sitting here trying to make me feel better."

"Is it working?"

Beast Boy didn't answer that right away, instead choosing to look back to the water at first. "I dunno. I do appreciate you coming out here, believe me. But part of me wishes that someone went to go check on Raven instead. She's the real victim here, not me. I was the one who hurt her, not the other way around...just like I did with Terra. I keep doing the same thing over and over again and I hate it."

"Is that why you snapped at the others?"

"I guess...but that's no excuse. Just because I miss Terra and regret what I did...it doesn't mean I should take it out on Raven. Raven deserves better than that...she deserves _so_ much better."

"Beast Boy."

The changeling froze at the new voice, and he turned to see Raven walking over to him, a somber expression on her face. "R-Raven...I..."

"It's okay. You don't have to apologize." Raven continued approaching him...and then got onto the rock he was sitting on, kneeling behind him as she embraced him once more, feeling his muscles tense for several seconds before finally relaxing as she held him tight, his emotions pouring out to her soul like a dam bursting, causing her voice to soften even more as her heart connected to his. "I know you're sorry...I am too." Raven squeezed tighter as she felt Beast Boy's arms reach up to grasp at the arm she had around his shoulders. "I'm sorry for not understanding, and I'm sorry for making you feel like your feelings didn't matter." Raven looked towards the ocean herself, her words pouring out almost without her consent. "Terra was special to you, she made you feel like you could be yourself. That's the same way Malchior made me feel...and I should be there for you like you were for me. I'm sorry it took me so long to finally get here." As she continued to hold him, Raven felt herself smile involuntarily as she felt the sorrow in Beast Boy's heart start to fade, slowly being replaced by an overwhelming sense of gratitude...and something else that she wasn't sure of, but it felt good to sense it was there inside him. "Beast Boy, will you forgive me for being a bad friend?"

"Aww, Raven...there's nothin' to forgive." Beast Boy turned his head to look at her, his eyes shimmering with unshed tears and a soft, grateful smile on his face. "I really am sorry for what I said...I didn't mean it. I know you have emotions, heck...I met them all in person. I wish I could take it back."

"There are lots of things I wish I could take back, Beast Boy. But we can't. That's why whenever I make a mistake, I do my best to learn from it. It isn't easy, and sometimes it takes a lot of self-reflection to see it...but mistakes are what help us learn and grow into better people. And if I can do it, I know for a fact that you can do it too."

"You're right." Beast Boy nodded. "Thanks, Raven. I'll do my best."

The sincerity in his heart made her expression soften even more, as her insides began to feel warm and mushy from the care she could feel coming from him in waves. "I know you will. And in the end, as long as we never give up trying, then that's all that can ever be asked of anyone."

The two Titans just stared at each other for several more moments, fully content to just revel in the mutual warmth and comfort they afforded each other. For the first time in a very long time, Beast Boy genuinely felt cared for...and as for Raven, she didn't know what she felt, not really...but whatever it was, it was a good feeling. And she didn't want to deny herself of it anymore. It was just so fulfilling to have someone express just how much they cared for her, and whether it was friendship, or something more, it was plainly obvious that Beast Boy did care. Affection was right about that. Raven would've been just fine just sitting there the rest of the night, except for the fact they weren't alone.

"So uh...should I just leave you guys alone then?"

Both Titans blinked and blushed, releasing each other and refusing to look each other in the eye. "Uh...thanks again, Raven." Beast Boy was the first to make eye contact as he rubbed the back of his neck. "It's nice to know you care."

Raven smiled again, something she couldn't believe she was doing so much of. But somehow, it was easy to do with Beast Boy, when he wasn't being obnoxious of course. "I've always cared. I'm just not very good at showing it. I'll try to do better though."

"And so will I." This time it was Beast Boy who initiated the hug, but he didn't hold it for long as he didn't want to run the risk of testing Raven's personal boundaries too much. Then he turned and hopped off the rock to go to Jason, who met him on the ground as he too let his feet hit the sand. "And thank you too, Jason. With enemies like you, who needs friends?" Beast Boy frowned as his eyes widened. "I-I mean, not that you're an enemy, I just-"

"Chill, man. I know what you meant." Jason smirked.

"Well," Raven spoke up with a teasing tone. "Some people learn lessons faster than others."

"Hey!" Then when Raven started to laugh, Beast Boy's smile became uncontainable. "You have a really nice laugh, Raven. I wish I could hear it more often."

Of course, that comment came with the unintended effect of making Raven realize what she was doing, as she stopped laughing and blushed, pulling her hood over her head much to the changeling's disappointment. "Yeah well...don't get used to it. Your jokes still aren't funny." Raven didn't get a chance to hear Beast Boy's rebuttal, as her and Beast Boy's communicators started going off simultaneously, signaling that Cyborg was calling them and the other Titans back to the Ops Center. "We better go, maybe Cyborg found a lead on Slade or Jericho."

"Right."

By the time the rest of the Titans assembled back in the center of the tower, it was already around six in the morning. Everyone looked like they were dying to go to sleep, but no one seemed willing to by the agitated expressions on their faces. "No luck." Robin grunted as he tiredly punched a wall with the side of his fist. "We searched all night and there's no sign of Jericho _or_ Slade."

"Is it possible he's in Gotham?" Jason asked.

Robin grunted at the mention of that name. "Batman would've known if he was. He _always_ knows, somehow. We're gonna keep looking here until we've eliminated every other possibility. Next we'll all search the north side of the city, I don't want to run the risk that we miss something. Slade wouldn't capture Jericho and then just run off. He wants this city to burn, _badly._ He's here somewhere." Robin turned to the metal man who summoned them back. "Cyborg, do you have a lead for us to follow?"

"Nah, man." Cyborg said as he crossed his arms and shook his head. "I just called you back because it's time for y'all to get some rest. We burn ourselves out lookin' nonstop, and Jump City will be easy pickings for Slade if he decides to make his move."

Robin puffed air out of his nose before nodding briskly at his second-in-command. "You made the right call, Cyborg." He said somewhat begrudgingly. "Titans, get some rest. We start looking first thing after waking up." As the Titans all dispersed, Starfire took a brief detour to give the Boy Wonder a soft buss on the cheek before lazily floating off to her room, leaving Robin alone with only Cyborg. "How were things here, Cy?" He said, exhaustion creeping into his voice.

"If you're referrin' to BB and Rae, I think Jason did a pretty good job of gettin' them to kiss and make up, so to speak." Cyborg then sighed. "Look, man...I didn't just call you here because y'all needed to call it a night...there's somethin' I gotta tell ya, and I think it's best if you heard it first."

Robin raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"

"I've been monitoring the most recent news headlines, and I got a report from Gotham that-"

"Oh for the love of..." Robin smacked his face with his palm. "Cyborg, please. Enough about Gotham, I'm sick to death of that place. Slade's not-"

"This doesn't have anything to do with Slade!" Cyborg said more forcefully before sighing again. "There was a news report...the bust for that guy, the Jazzman, it didn't go well."

"He got away?" Robin snorted derisively. "Bruce must be pissed."

"No...they caught him...but..."

"Cyborg, just spit it out, I'm too tired for this."

The metal man closed his eyes before finally looking back and placing a hand on Robin's shoulder. "It's Commissioner Gordon...he...it's best you see for yourself." Cyborg pressed a button on the main computer, and on the screen came a news report, as the face of Summer Gleeson appeared, followed by video clips of the bust and its immediate aftermath.

 _"Last night, police broke the smuggling ring of Jimmy 'The Jazzman' Peake. But the victory in the drug war came at a high cost. Police commissioner James Gordon was badly wounded in the line of duty. Ballistics investigation has matched the bullet with the Jazzman's gun. Any comments Jazzman?"_

 _Summer's microphone was lifted up to the Jazzman's face, as police escorted him into the car. With an evil grin, he looked into the camera. "Let's just say it was time to pay the piper."_

 _Then as soon as Peake was placed into the back of the police car, Summer took the stage back. "Sources say that the Jazzman has long nursed a grudge against Commissioner Gordon. The commissioner remains in intensive care at Gotham City Hospital."_

And just like that, Robin felt his heart clench in his chest. Gritting his teeth as he put his hand over his chest, slowly tightening it into a fist, Robin got back up and forced a neutral expression onto his face. "Thanks for letting me know, Cyborg." He said slowly. "But there's nothing we can do for him now...except hope and pray he pulls through. We have to take care of our own first." As Robin left the Ops center, he quickened his pace to his room, swiftly closing the door behind him and ripping his mask off his face and tossing it aside, leaning on the mattress of his bed for support. "God, not Commissioner Gordon, Gotham needs more men like him...not less." He then walked over to his dresser, opened the top drawer and pulled out an old cellphone he hadn't used in years. Once he turned it back on and stopped the hundreds of missed notifications from coming through, he dialed a number and held the phone up to his ear. "Hey, Barbara..."

* * *

As night fell once more on Gotham City, Batman took to the streets and found himself leaping across rooftops as he rushed as fast as he could to Gotham City Hospital's intensive care unit. The whole day, he'd been dodging calls from reporters who wanted a comment from Bruce Wayne regarding the tragedy from the night before. There were certain things that came with being a friend of the police commissioner, things like being able to work on new ways to improve the police force as a whole. But it came with the downside of being expected to have something to say when things like this happened.

Things that Batman didn't want to think about.

Bruce Wayne was strictly incognito in the daytime, and even Alfred's patented lavender tea couldn't relax him enough to let him sleep. The entire day, all he could think about was the image of Commissioner Gordon laying face first on the sidewalk, blood pooling around him as his life slowly drained away...and all Batman could do was stare in sheer horror as the paramedics arrived to rush his friend to the hospital and to an operating table, with the slim hope that it wasn't too late. He went over every possible clue he could, painstakingly searching for a way that the Jazzman could have possibly known that the police would be there waiting for him that night.

But all his leads came up empty. He checked and double-checked any way that his investigation could have been leaked. But the only ones who knew about the bust ahead of time were Batman, Robin, Detective Harvey Bullock, and Commissioner Gordon himself. The only possible name on that list who would've let it spill was Bullock, and in spite of the fact Batman knew he wouldn't find anything following up on that theory, he checked anyway. Only to both be relieved and disappointed when there was nothing. Bullock was also the first one to the commissioner's side when he saw that Gordon was down. He wouldn't have said anything. Bullock hated Batman, he had a tendency to 'go rogue' in a manner of speaking, but he was generally a very good cop.

Now all he had left were dry leads, a weary spirit, and a dear friend's life in the balance. As Batman finally made it to Gordon's room, he slowly opened the window and silently stepped inside, his mind in a haze as he walked up to his friend and stared down at him. Gordon was hooked up to a ventilator and an IV unit, with a heart monitor registering his vitals at all times. The man looked decrepit, barely alive. Had the bullet been just a bit closer to his heart, investigators reported that it would've gone right through, killing him instantly. By all accounts, even in his current state, Commissioner Gordon was lucky.

And yet, as Batman's chest tightened, practically constricting his lungs as breathing became a challenge for him, he didn't feel that Gordon was lucky at all. And it was his fault for not getting there in time. "I don't know if you can hear me, Jim." Batman said quietly, his mask hiding his sorrowful expression. "I'm sorry. If I hadn't stopped in Crime Alley..."

"Batman."

The Dark Knight felt a hand gently fall on his shoulder, and he turned to see Barbara sitting in her wheelchair behind him, her forehead creased in sadness. Batman was so focused on Commissioner Gordon, he hadn't even noticed that his daughter was sitting there watching him, still suffering from the aftermath of her confrontation with Bane. "How is he?"

Barbara shook her head. "Not good."

Batman grit his teeth and looked away, his fists tightly clenched. "It's my fault," He snarled at himself. "Should've gotten there first, checked it out before..."

"Don't blame yourself," Barbara rolled in front of Batman to look up at him. "You caught the man who shot him."

"If I'd _been_ there..."

"You _should've_ been there, pointy ears." Suddenly Harvey Bullock appeared in the doorway, catching Batman and Barbara's attention. The detective was glaring at Batman venomously, his nose crinkled in disgust and his finger pointed at him accusingly. "Then maybe Peake woulda shot the right guy!" Bullock stepped closer, his eyes burning with anger. "Thought you were supposed to know what's shakin' on the streets." He jabbed his finger in Batman's chest. "How come you didn't tell us this was a setup?!"

Batman hesitated to answer, his eyes never turning away from Bullock's hateful gaze as he slowly lowered Bullock's hand away from him. "I didn't know."

"Yeah?" Bullock leaned up right into Batman's face, his fist clenched as he pointed at Gordon's comatose body with his other hand. "In my book, that makes you just as responsible for him being here as the Jazzman!"

"Harvey, please!" Barbara got in-between the two detectives. "It wasn't his fault!"

Not his fault. Batman looked down at Barbara, her leg set in a cast. That also was supposedly not his fault. Except...it was. It was all his fault. Barbara, Jim...and of course, Dick. Everything really was his fault. Without a word, Batman turned around and slowly walked towards the window he came in through, preparing to swing away on his grapple line.

"Hey, where ya going?!" Bullock hollered. "This ain't over ya outlaw! Ya hear me?! You're goin' down for this! I ain't talkin' law! I'm talkin' you and me!"

Bullock's hate-filled diatribe barely registered to Batman as he finally reached his car and drove back to the Batcave in silence. Bullock had every right to hate him. If only he'd been there, if only he hadn't stopped to honor his parents in a futile display of sentimentality. Every time he did something in the name of Batman, someone suffered for it. No matter what he did, no matter how he tried to fix the bleeding wound that was Gotham City, it was all for nothing. The crime was still high, people still died, and families were still torn apart at the seams. Now, even what little was left of his own surrogate family was on their way out, in one way or another.

As Batman trudged wearily to a work station in the cave, he leaned on one of the tables and lowered his head with an exhausted sigh as the beakers on the table quietly bubbled with chemicals. Batman closed his eyes, and visions of the people he'd hurt began flashing in his mind. Jim Gordon's lifeless body on the street, Barbara screeching in agony as the doctors set her leg and injected her with a sedative, Dick's resigned look of resentment as he abandoned him not once, but twice. All because he had to be Batman.

His breathing became haggard, his blood boiled with anger, and without warning, he flipped the table he was leaning against with a disgusted grunt, sending chemicals flying everywhere as glass shattered around him. Then he went to a computer console, swinging his fist and knocking over more objects, desperately trying to ward off the wave of self-hatred making his chest ache.

 _You just don't get it, do you, Bruce?_

With a groan of exertion, Batman ripped the computer console out of the ground and lifted it over his head, the wires sparking as their connection was cutoff suddenly. Then Batman hurled it into the abyss of the cave, the echo of the crash coming moments later indicating its utter destruction.

 _In my book, that makes you just as responsible for him being here as the Jazzman!_

Batman panted as he went and knocked over more computer consoles, smashing them with all his might. He couldn't breathe, he couldn't think, all he could hear was the blood pumping in his ears and the resentful voices of the people he let down, and the ashen face of Commissioner Gordon as he slowly died in a hospital bed because Batman set up a bust that he was late to arrive to.

 _It's my fault._

Barbara was crippled and wouldn't walk again for several months, all because she felt the need to join him on his crusade against crime. If he hadn't become Batman, Barbara would be in perfect health, safe and sound as a normal young adult living a normal life with her father. Instead, she became Batgirl, and laid her life on the line time and time again.

 _It's my fault._

Dick hated him, and likely would never come back again, all because he couldn't bear the thought of losing him to a monster who wanted to destroy everything he was. If he hadn't become Batman, Dick likely would've been adopted by a loving family who could give him a normal life after the loss of his parents, allowing him to grow up to be a fine young man and change the world in ways that no one could imagine. Instead he became Robin, and he turned into a weapon against crime similar to himself, cold and distant as he took after his mentor. Batman never wanted that for Robin.

 _It's my fault._

He tried so hard to make things better, fought tooth and nail, dedicating his life to helping others so they wouldn't suffer like he did...and in the end, it was all for nothing. It was only a matter of time before someone else suffered because of his actions...and all he would be able to say...

 _It's my fault...my fault...my fault..._

As Batman took a few painful steps away from the results of his rampage, he fell to his knees panting, tears streaming down his face as the utter loneliness he felt finally took full hold of his soul. Raising his fists towards the sky, he cried out in anger at the top of his lungs, waking the bats that began screeching and flying throughout the cave, as Batman cursed whatever deity saw it fit to not have him die along with his parents in that alley all those years ago, so that he couldn't have destroyed the lives of those he now held dear. "RrrrRRRAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"

* * *

 **A/N: And there you have it. Not too much going on in this chapter, but a lot of anger and frustration from our heroes, coming in all shapes and sizes. The big difference, however, is that Beast Boy and Raven have friends, as well as each other, to pull them out of their respective doldrums. Batman, however, has no such luck...and it's starting to take a toll on Gotham's Dark Knight.**

 **Those of you who have watched the B:tAS episode "I Am the Night" will have some idea of what happens next. But there will be a Titans twist included to make it a part of a greater whole. Those of you who haven't watched it, this is a whole new experience for you, and for that I'm excited for you to see what's next. If you liked this chapter, leave a review and let me know what you think. During this time of quarantine, supporting each other is crucial, and I would love to know that my efforts are in some small part, helping everyone through this.**

 **I hope you all enjoyed, and see you in the next chapter.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Hello again everyone, and welcome back to Robin Rising. When we last left off, Batman was all but down for the count as the potential loss of his dear friend weighed heavily on his heart. So what happens next? Read and find out. First, we'll get through some anonymous reviews, in order of receiving them.**

 **Guest1: Glad I could give you something to look forward to! Hope this does the same.**

 **Guest2: Batman's POV will definitely be a thing throughout this story going forward!**

 **Guest3: God bless you too friend! Thanks for the review!**

 **vi: Thanks as always for the review Vi!**

 **Guest4: Indeed, poor Bruce. Now we see what happens next.**

 **Guest5: Wish granted!**

 **Now with all that said, let's continue on and see what's next in store for Batman, Robin, and the rest of the Teen Titans! I hope you all enjoy! I own nothing except the story.**

* * *

Four days...four days of searching for their missing friend, and the Teen Titans were coming up empty. Their growing frustration over their lack of results was causing tempers to wear thin. Jinx would snap at Cyborg, then Beast Boy would jump in to defend his best friend. That forced Robin to break up the fight, but he was the most frustrated of all, which forced Raven and Argent to physically restrain their teammates multiple times. Starfire, to her credit, tried to keep the peace as best she could, but it seemed all of her Tamaranean poems of friendship had the opposite effect she intended.

Since searching Jump City was proving to be a failure, Robin finally conceded and begrudgingly allowed Cyborg to consider the possibility that the real Slade was in Gotham City. The problem with that was they had no idea where in Gotham he would be holed up if that was the case. There were no clues, no patterns, just a personal sighting by Robin that had no follow up. He could understand why Jinx was getting so agitated over the lack of progress. Robin entrusted her with leadership of her own team of Titans, people she'd become fast friends with since joining the good guys. And now one of them was missing. He would be acting no different, he knew. But all attempts to search Gotham via Kid Flash were also coming up empty.

Under normal circumstances, Robin would just summon Herald and have him open a portal for them straight to Gotham, but the Titans North were fully entrenched in an investigation of one of Mexico's biggest drug cartels. That, on top of having to always have a Titan or two on standby to babysit Melvin, Timmy and Teether, meant they couldn't ask Herald to drop everything and act as transportation while they searched for Jericho, no matter how badly they wanted to help. If anything, Titans North needed backup, not the other way around. _"I'll have to make sure any new recruits get stationed there with them."_ Robin thought to himself.

The other options weren't any better. They could always take the T-Ship, but it took too long to get across the country without using their hyperdrive, and by the time they got there, no doubt Slade would catch wind of it and then Jericho would be in more danger than ever. The T-Ship wasn't exactly subtle. The fact that Slade hadn't contacted them with some bizarre challenge or ultimatum meant that Slade wanted to use Jericho for something, not kill him. That could change if Slade caught wind they were on his trail, and with very little information, the Titans were not prepared for Slade to get aggressive on them. As maddening as the silence was, it was actually better for Jericho the longer Slade kept quiet.

Then there was a different portal option, in the form of Raven. But the most obvious problem with that was Raven could only teleport so many people, and with limited range. If she were to push herself to the limit, they would eventually reach Gotham, but Raven would be utterly useless for an extended period of time while she rested, which meant they would have no way home, and one Titan would have to remain behind to watch Raven. _"That's not gonna work either. God I hate this."_

Finally, there was the option they were currently going with. Being the fastest boy alive, Kid Flash could reach Gotham in a matter of minutes, and Beast Boy's shape-shifting allowed him to tag along and search as well. But Kid Flash knew very little about Gotham, and Beast Boy wasn't much help since he'd only really seen the airport, Wayne Manor, the animal sanctuary and the wax museum. Everywhere else was just aimless wandering. Plus, they had to try and keep out of sight since Kid Flash wasn't exactly native to Gotham.

No, the only way they would ever be able to search Gotham effectively was if Robin was able to go with them.

Sighing to himself as he banged his forehead against his desk in his room, Robin peeled off his mask and rubbed his eyes tiredly as he turned on his old cellphone to check for any messages from Barbara. Even with everything he was dealing with, he still felt obligated to at least be in the loop regarding Commissioner Gordon's condition. The last message he received had been at 4:00 A.M. that morning, and it was because Barbara was so distraught over her father's weakening state that she apparently couldn't sleep. And for whatever reason, Bruce was not communicating with her at all.

"Typical Bruce." Robin rolled his eyes before going over the available data again. Bruce was probably on the hunt for the Jazzman, which meant worrying about Barbara's wellbeing was low on his priority list. He found himself shaking his head in disgust at the very thought, remembering how he himself had done the same in the past. He would get so obsessed over Slade that he would isolate himself from his friends, turning into a massive jerk in the process. That brief remembrance caused him to put his mask back on and push away from his desk to get up and go check on the other Titans. Part of being a good leader meant you needed to be good at more than just giving orders. You had to be able to boost morale to some extent.

Problem was, his morale needed boosting too, and the one person who could do it better than anyone, he'd put in charge of keeping everyone else's spirits up. "Maybe I should've had Kid Flash and Starfire trade jobs." As he walked to the Ops center, his phone began to ring in his pocket just before he could enter. Glancing at the caller ID, he recognized the number of Wayne Manor and groaned in frustration. If it was Bruce calling, he would have done it as Batman. This number meant it was Alfred...and he just couldn't turn away Alfred. The Boy Wonder walked down the corridor and found a little corner he could talk in just before answering the phone. "Hello?"

 _"Hello, Master Dick, I'm so sorry to bother you while you're away. How is the search for your missing comrade going?"_

Robin sighed as he tiredly leaned against the wall. "Hey, Alfred. Gotta say, things aren't going well. Feels like all our leads have dried up, Slade's done a great job covering his tracks this time."

 _"Well I'm sure you'll track down the scoundrel in no time and rescue your friend."_

"Thanks. So, what's going on? Have you heard any news regarding Commissioner Gordon?"

 _"Unfortunately, there's been no improvement on that front. However...and I do apologize for asking this...would it be at all possible for you to spare some time and return to Gotham for a short while?"_

Robin raised a suspicious eyebrow. "That's...an odd request, Alfred. In all the years I've been in Jump, you've never asked me to come back to Gotham. What's going on?"

 _"I do realize it's unprecedented, Master Dick. However, I do have a rather difficult situation on my hands, and quite frankly I'm at a loss for what to do."_ Alfred's voice, Robin couldn't help but notice, seemed rather desperate in tone. _"You see, Master Bruce has been feeling...shall we say, under the weather as of late regarding Commissioner Gordon's condition. I'm afraid he blames himself for what's happened."_

Robin exhaled through his nose as his temper very briefly spiked at the mention of Bruce. While he was mad at his mentor, he wasn't so insensitive that he didn't empathize with him. Robin felt that way all the time whenever one of his teammates got hurt. "And what exactly do you expect _me_ to do? Bruce'll get over it, I doubt he wants to hear from me right now anyway."

 _"Master Dick,"_ Alfred's voice was begging. _"You know I wouldn't call you if I didn't think it was important. Please, come as soon as you can. Do it as a favor to me, if nothing else."_

That was the moment where Robin muted his end of the call and grunted in frustration. He hated when Alfred pulled the 'for me' card, it made saying no all but impossible. When Alfred was asking, it was important. When Alfred needed something badly enough he wanted it done as a personal favor, that meant it was especially serious, in his own perception of course. Bracing himself for what he was about to do, Robin unmuted the call and slowly raised the phone to his mouth. "Alright, Alfred. I'll book a flight and be there tonight."

 _"Thank you, Master Dick."_ Alfred's response allowed to Robin to imagine the grateful smile the elderly butler was now donning, giving him a small sense of satisfaction to know he was appreciated. _"I shall prepare for your arrival. I only hope that you'll be able to get through to Master Bruce."_

"I'll do what I can, Alfred." Robin shrugged. "But I dunno how much it'll help. I'll seeya tonight." And with that, Robin hung up the phone and groaned out loud again, already dreading the trip back to his old home. "One of these days I'm gonna get this whole 'no' thing down." With a sharp exhale, Robin straightened up and headed into the Ops center, where he saw Starfire flitting about from person to person, desperately trying to get them to play along with some idea of hers. "Hey, Star, come here a sec."

Upon noticing Robin's arrival, Starfire excused herself from Hotspot and rushed over to land in front of her boyfriend with a distraught expression. "Oh, Robin, I have tried everything to help our friends feel better. But it seems that no matter what I do, I only seem to make things worse!"

Robin graced her with a sympathetic smile, gently reaching for her hand which prompted her to give a tiny smile of her own. "Don't blame yourself, Star. I kinda gave you an impossible task." His smile faded. "Trying to help people forget that one of our teammates is missing isn't exactly easy."

"Indeed." Starfire frowned as he looked over her shoulder at her clearly anxious friends. "Have we not come up with any possible solutions?"

"Wish I could say yes, but the answer is no." Robin sighed as he walked past Starfire to the middle of the room. Starfire floated over to stand close to him while he got the attention of the other Titans. "Okay team, I have some news for you."

"Did you find Jericho?"

Robin turned to look at the pink-haired sorceress. "Not yet."

"Then I don't care." Jinx crossed her arms and started to walk out of the room, but then she was suddenly stopped by a black barrier out of nowhere. Jinx whipped around, her fingers sparking with energy as she snarled at the culprit. "Let me outta here, Raven! I'm going to find Jericho even if it kills me!"

"Considering who you're up against, it just might." Raven replied as she slowly lowered the wall. "I understand you're worried about him, but we've already looked everywhere. Going back out there now is a waste of energy."

"Clearly we _haven't_ looked everywhere, because we haven't _found him!"_ Jinx's shout echoed through the room, stunning the other Titans into silence. "Jericho's _my_ responsibility, and I'm tired of sitting around waiting for something to happen!"

"No one's saying you should." Robin finally spoke up again, going over to Jinx who turned slightly so that her shoulder was facing him, her eyes watching him carefully. "I understand how you feel. You feel like it's your fault. But flying off the handle isn't going to help, no one knows that better than me." Robin slowly placed a hand on Jinx's shoulder, relieved when she didn't hex him for the effort. "We're going to keep looking for Jericho here in Jump City. But I have a sneaking suspicion we're going to find our next clue in Gotham." Robin turned to address the rest of the team. "That's where _I'm_ going."

The Titans looked at each other, murmuring amongst themselves at the revelation. It was Raven who finally spoke up to address their leader directly. "Are you sure about this, Robin? I don't think going alone is a very good idea, especially if Slade really _is_ there."

"I agree, but now it's personal." Robin sighed and shook his head. "I got a call from the Batcave...Batman's not doing well, and apparently it's urgent that I go and help him."

"So you're going back to Gotham to be Batman's sidekick again?" Hotspot crossed his arms and glared at the Boy Wonder. "Not exactly a great way to find our teammate."

Before Robin could answer, it was Starfire who fielded the disrespectful remark, as she floated over to the pyrokinetic superhero with a sharp glare of her own. "Robin is _not_ going to Gotham merely to play the games with the Batman." She said dangerously. "It is far more complex than that, and you should know better than to accuse Robin of not treating the situation seriously."

"I didn't say he wasn't!" Hotspot shot back, his body starting to heat up as his temper flared. "But from where I'm sitting, there's no plan to get Jericho back!"

"That's where you're wrong." Robin walked over to the console and pressed a button from over Cyborg's shoulder, displaying the map that showed all of the Slade sightings. "We've searched all the places he's been to individually except for the Gotham sighting, which could mean my original idea that he's still here in Jump City could be wrong. The only one who can investigate that sighting without raising suspicion is me, since I'm expected to be with Batman at this point." Robin turned to face the other Titans. "If the rest of you come with me, Slade's liable to do something we're not going to like. We have to keep him off our trail."

"So how are you gonna get there then?" Jinx raised an eyebrow. "You learn to fly while we weren't looking?"

"I shall accompany him."

Robin's head whipped around as he gestured a firm no with his arms. "No way, Starfire. I need you here with the others."

"Robin, there is no reason why I cannot come with you." She slowly floated closer. "The people of Gotham are already aware of my existence as Kory Anders. In fact, it may even be _better_ that we arrive together. It will give the paparazzi, as you call them, something to talk about."

"Star's got a point, Rob." Cyborg stood up from his seat to join the discussion. "I'm sure Slade knows y'all are together, you goin' out for a night on the town or to check and see how Commissioner Gordon is doing shouldn't raise any eyebrows. In fact, it may even get him to back off a little if he sees you two havin' fun."

"And then he'll be right back on guard once we actually get into costume and start searching the city." Robin retorted sharply.

"That is a risk we will have to take." Starfire replied. "Robin, we have very little choice at this point. Jinx is correct when she says that we cannot do the waiting around for Slade to come to us. We _must_ act quickly! And if we are to be discreet at the same time, then the best option is for you and I to fly to the city of Gotham on our own."

"Fine." Robin grunted begrudgingly. Then he turned to the rest of the Titans. "So since Starfire and I are going to Gotham, the rest of you keep searching Jump City. Leave no stone unturned. Even if Slade isn't here now, he _was_ here. There must be some clues that we're missing."

Jinx sighed, frustration practically oozing from her as she flexed her hands several times before speaking. "Alright, we'll search the amusement park again." She grumbled. "Argent, Hotspot, you're with me."

"What about me, Lucky?"

The former villainess briefly glanced at Kid Flash. "You search everywhere else. By the time we're done at the amusement park, you'll have searched all the other locations again."

"Can't argue with that." Kid Flash rubbed the back of his head, a small frown on his lips. "I'd prefer to go with _you_ though."

Jinx sighed again. "So would I." She said to herself. "We have to stay focused on finding Jericho."

"It's a good idea, Kid Flash. Listen to her." Robin said with his arms crossed before turning his attention to his own teammates. "Cyborg, Raven, head out there and do some looking of your own. Since Titans Europe is searching the Slade sightings, you take care of the rest of the city as best you can. As for you, Beast Boy," Robin's tone softened a bit. "I'm sorry for snapping at you earlier, I should've said it before."

"It's all good, dude." Beast Boy shrugged. "We're both stressed out."

"That's an understatement." Robin snorted. "I digress. Beast Boy, you stay here with Jason and watch for anymore sightings. If something comes up, give someone a shout and we'll address it." Robin turned to his girlfriend. "I'll meet you outside, I need to get my helmet. Don't worry about luggage, I'm sure Alfred'll have that handled for us." Robin was answered with a quick nod from Starfire, and he watched her zip out before turning to his team once more. "I hope you guys find Jericho here in the city. If Slade _is_ in Gotham, our work will be cut out for us. We've already seen what happens when only the five of us make an appearance. I don't even wanna _know_ what Gotham's criminal scumbags will do if an entire _army_ of Titans shows up there."

"If our fight with Bane means anything, neither do I." Beast Boy replied as he rubbed a phantom pain on his head.

With that said, Robin smirked briefly and nodded at the changeling before rushing to the garage to get his helmet. Starfire's airspeed far surpassed his flight suit or even the T-Ship, and letting her carry him all the way there wasn't going to be easy without something to at least weaken the G-force. Once he found it, he started rushing outside to meet up with Starfire, but then he stopped in his tracks. "Maybe I _should_ grab something to wear." Changing course to head to his room, Robin grabbed some clothes acceptable for Dick Grayson to be seen in at Wayne Manor. Just a simple white dress shirt with a red vest and slacks along with some nice shoes. It wasn't exactly the latest fashion trend, but no one would bat an eyelash if he was somehow spotted after the visit to the manor. Quickly stuffing the attire into a plastic bag, Robin bolted for the door of the tower, where he saw Starfire staring up into the night sky with her hands folded in front of her hips. "Something on your mind, Star?"

"No...yes..." Starfire sighed and turned around to face Robin. "Why is it you do not want me to accompany you?"

"Aw, Star...it's not that I don't wanna be with you, believe me." Robin stepped forward and took her hand with his free one. "After all...you're my _d'anthe l'ani."_ He felt his heart lift when she cracked a smile. "It's just that now I'm gonna have to deal with Bruce again, and I..." The Boy Wonder exhaled in obvious frustration. "I already see you two starting to not get along. I don't wanna put you through all that again."

Starfire nodded slowly. "I understand. It makes you uncomfortable that your _k'norfka_ and I are at odds. It is a very difficult situation for anyone to be in."

"Yeah."

"If you wish," Starfire's frown returned momentarily. "I will remain here with the others so that you will not have to endure the unpleasant scenario."

"Honestly, Starfire..." Robin squeezed the hand he was holding. "I'd prefer if you came with me...I think..." His voice faded to a whisper. "I think I'm gonna need your support if I'm gonna face him again." He didn't see Starfire smile sympathetically, but he certainly felt her draw closer and wrap him up in a comforting embrace. "I'm exhausted, Star."

"I know." Starfire lowered her head to rest it on Robin's own, nestling him into the crook of her neck to further close the distance. "You have suffered through much in the past few days, my love. I am pleased that you are at last allowing me into your heart so I may help." She pulled back a bit so she could look right into his eyes, hidden by his mask. She blinked slowly at him, bringing her hand up to caress his cheek. "Do not feel the embarrassment for being vulnerable, Richard." She said quietly so that only he would be able to hear her. "I _am_ your _d'anthe l'ani,_ and that is not merely a term of endearment. It is my obligation and honor to ensure that your heart is kept safe and free of burden. Anything that weighs heavily on you, I am here to relieve you of it."

Robin stared up at his girlfriend in shock for several moments before finally giving a smirk. "Had no idea that being your _d'anthe l'ani_ was such a big responsibility."

Starfire frowned slightly. "Does that knowledge concern you?"

"No," He shook his head and got up on his tiptoes to press his head to hers, smiling a little wider when he heard her hum in contentment at the uniquely affectionate gesture. "If anything it makes me more determined to make sure I do this right. That's a real showing of trust. I won't let you down."

"I know you will not." Starfire finally pulled back and turned her back to him, looking over her shoulder and gesturing with her thumb. "Well, we should not delay any further. It will not take long for me to fly to Gotham, and we have a mission to complete."

"That we do."

"And before ya go, I'd like a word with y'all."

Robin groaned and smacked his face with his palm and dragged it down before turning to face their interloper. "How long were you standing there, Cyborg?" The Boy Wonder grumbled.

"Only long enough to see y'all fall one step short of a major makeout." The half-robot grinned teasingly. "Seeing y'all be together is so sweet I could pour it over pancakes."

"Is there a point to this? Because if you're just here to mess with us, we've gotta go."

"Actually, there is." Cyborg's teasing tone became serious as he walked up to the couple. "Lemme have your holo-rings for a sec. Gonna make a quick modification that I think'll really help." Upon receiving the rings from his friends, Cyborg used his cybertronic eye to zoom in closely on the circuitry, his free finger becoming a precision instrument to make an adjustment. "There, that oughta do it."

"What'd you do?" Robin asked as he took the rings back and handed one to Starfire.

"Added a stealth mode. Twist the ring to the right, one full 360 degree turn." Cyborg waited for one of them to follow through. Ultimately it was Robin who did it, and soon enough the Boy Wonder disappeared completely from view.

"Eeep!" Starfire squeaked in shock. "Robin has vanished!"

"This is so weird...kinda disorienting really. I can feel my body moving but I can't see it." Robin did some quick martial arts movements in place. "I'll have to make a mental adjustment to get the right aim in a fight. This is really cool though!"

"Not bad, huh?" Cyborg rubbed his knuckles against his chest. "With those on, Slade'll never see you comin', which means y'all can search for Jericho and he'll never be able to keep track of ya."

As Robin rematerialized into view, he grinned and offered his fist for Cyborg to bump. "Awesome work, Cyborg." Robin said as his gesture was returned. "That takes care of _one_ problem."

"Just be careful. They make you invisible to the naked eye, but if someone flashes a black light on you or has an infrared sensor, it's not gonna do you any good."

"Noted. Thanks, Cy."

"Good luck guys, I'll hold down the fort here."

"We shall see you soon, friend Cyborg." With that said, Starfire waited for Robin to put on his helmet, activate its built-in comm link and wrap his arms tightly around her shoulders with his legs wrapped around her waist. "Please, hold on tightly!" And with that Starfire took off flying, soon leaving the tower out of sight. "Are you okay, Richard?" She said through her communicator.

 _"I'm alright, Star. Quite a view."_

She smiled. "Yes, it is quite beautiful when there are no clouds to obstruct the view."

 _"How long until we get to Gotham?"_

"It should not take long. I can go much faster, but I do not wish to test your strength to hang on beyond human limits." Starfire tapped her chin in thought. "Perhaps we should construct a harness of some kind? I have seen human mothers use them for their infants."

Robin's blush nearly made his helmet steam up. _"There is no chance you'll_ ever _get me in one of those!"_

"Then I suggest you hold on even tighter! I would not wish for you to fall!"

 _"Better than the mental image of me in a baby harness."_ Robin said as he extended his reach around Starfire's body. _"Besides, I don't mind holding you tighter."_

"Neither do I. But I believe you should be aware of something, _d'anthe l'ani."_

 _"What's that?"_

"Your right hand is touching my left _grebnak."_

 _"Your what?"_

Starfire giggled as she looked over her shoulder to grin at him. "I believe the Earth translation is...breast."

Robin immediately let go with a horrified yelp, and as a result he began a freefall that ended only seconds into it, as the hysterically laughing Tamaranean quickly caught him by his arms. The Boy Wonder would've crossed his arms in indignation if he could move them, his face burning in shame and humiliation. _"That wasn't funny, Starfire."_ He grumbled.

"Forgive me," She replied between peals of laughter. "But I believe it was quite hilarious! The look on your face was priceless!"

 _"Yeah,"_ Robin cracked a smirk as her infectious laughter wormed its way into his heart. _"I bet it was. Let's just get to Gotham without anymore heart attacks, huh?"_

"Oh, very well. If you insist."

* * *

Fortunately for Robin, the trip was brief, and Starfire kept her word. However, as they landed in front of Wayne Manor and briefly went their separate ways so Robin could change into Dick Grayson, Robin soon found himself wishing he'd been more active in Starfire's makeshift playtime. Earlier he wished that Starfire could make him feel better, and in her own way she made the attempt. He wished he'd been more open to it, rather than shutting her down. She didn't seem upset over it if her endless case of the giggles was anything to go by, but now he felt his throat tightening up as he was forced to face the reality of what he was about to do.

He was going to confront Bruce again.

After the way he left again, Dick felt awkward about facing his mentor so soon. He needed more time to recover. "This is gonna suck. I really didn't wanna be here again so soon." Dick soon reached the front door of the manor after changing into his civilian attire, and there he saw Starfire standing there waiting for him. Her appearance was switched back to that of Kory Anders, with the only indicator that it was Starfire being her uniform. "I'll make sure Alfred finds you a change of clothes."

"Thank you." Before her boyfriend could knock on the door, Kory grabbed his wrist which caused him to look at her. "Be strong, Richard. But also be compassionate. Your _k'norfka_ needs you."

Dick took his wrist back and gave her a curt nod. "I'll do my best, Star." With a weary puff of breath, Dick knocked on the door and almost immediately, Alfred was there to answer it.

"I'm _so_ glad you could come, Master Dick." The aged butler said as Dick walked past him, barely even glancing in his direction. Kory was more cordial as she placed a hand on his shoulder and smiled, but she also said nothing. Alfred couldn't blame the young people, it felt dead inside the manor. "It's been three days, I've never seen him like this before."

Dick finally turned to look at Alfred as they began walking deeper into the manor. "It's really that bad?"

"You know I wouldn't have called you unless I felt it was urgent."

Dick sighed and shook his head, glaring in the direction of the library where the grandfather clock hid the entrance to the Batcave. "He's in the cave, I assume?"

"You assume correctly, Master Dick."

"Please," Kory spoke up with her hands clasped. "Do you perhaps have any idea as to why _k'norfka_ Bruce has fallen into such a sad state of mind?"

"To put it in simple terms, Master Bruce feels responsible for what's happened to Commissioner Gordon. But instead of trying to do something about it...he has inexplicably...shut down. He hasn't eaten nor slept, I'm very worried."

Dick's eyebrows raised a bit. Hearing Alfred's story, it did seem pretty out of character for Bruce. "I'll do what I can, Alfred. I don't know if there's anything I can say to make things better, but I'll try." Dick briefly glanced at Kory, still wearing her superhero uniform. "Could you find Starfire something civilian to wear while I go down to the Batcave? We didn't have time to grab luggage, we've gotta get back on the search for our friend as soon as possible."

"Of course. Good luck, Master Dick." Alfred placed his hands behind his back and turned to Kory. "Princess Starfire, if you would follow me please."

Starfire took a few steps to follow the butler, but she briefly changed course to plant a kiss on Dick's cheek, giving him an encouraging smile. "Just remember that deep down, I know you _do_ love your _k'norfka._ He needs to know that now. I will be but a call away if you require my assistance."

"Thanks, Star." He watched as she walked up the stairs leading to the second floor of the manor, then sighed as he headed to the entrance of the Batcave. The grandfather clock shifted out of his way, and Dick slowly made his way down the stone steps leading into the cave. The first thing the Boy Wonder noticed was that it was darker in the cave than usual. Many of the lights were off, with only enough active that he could barely see where he was going. Then as he reached the bottom of the stairs and started walking down another corridor, his nose caught the distinctly unpleasant smell of body odor. Clearly, Alfred was right when he said that Bruce hadn't eaten or slept. Apparently he hadn't even showered. Given Bruce's usual strong sense of hygiene, that raised a major red flag in Dick's mind. "Bruce?" As soon as he said that, his eyes caught a shadow growing on the wall...a shadow with pointed ears. Dick turned and saw Batman slowly trudging his way up the corridor, stopping to lean heavily on the wall with his arm for a moment before walking past him as if he wasn't there. Alfred was right, something was very wrong. "Bruce! You stay down here much longer, you'll be growing mushrooms in your armpits!"

Batman turned his head to glance at Dick for a moment, every movement lethargic and his voice lifeless. "I should've been there."

"You can't be _everywhere!"_

"I let him down."

"Bruce, c'mon." Dick hesitated for a moment, but eventually decided to gently place a hand on Batman's shoulder, fighting off the small bit of awkwardness he felt. "You're being too hard on yourself."

"He's a friend." Batman turned to face Dick fully. _"More_ than a friend...Jim Gordon's the same age my _father_ would've been if he hadn't..." Batman couldn't finish the sentence, gulping down the despair threatening to come to the surface. "Now he's hanging by a thread..." He placed a hand to his head. "If I'd gotten there five minutes sooner!"

"You're only human, you do all one man _can_ do!" Dick followed Batman as he began walking away again. "More than any man's _expected_ to do!"

"But it wasn't enough, Dick." Batman shook his head. "I wasn't there when I should have been, and now Commissioner Gordon may die because of it."

Part of Dick couldn't believe what he was hearing. One of the main reasons that even now, he held Batman in such a high - if not begrudging - esteem, it was because he felt so strongly responsible for the well-being of others. He worked hard to make sure no one would suffer the way he did.

This talk they were having now...on the one hand, it was putting Batman's deeply buried humanity on full display, the part of him that took Dick in and raised him as best he could. On the other hand, it was so unlike Batman that it almost felt like it wasn't real. "Y'know," Dick finally said. "I used to think I had to be perfect too. Whenever I made a mistake, I would beat myself up over it and drive my friends up a wall with my brooding. But that's the thing...they know I'm not perfect, and they don't _expect_ me to be perfect. You can't hold yourself to a standard that no human being can ever even hope to reach. You're just as prone to making mistakes as anyone."

"You don't understand." Batman said with a clenched fist. "I chose this life. I use the night...I _became_ the night. Sooner or later I'll go down...it might be the Joker, or Two-Face, or just some punk who gets lucky. _My_ decision. No regrets." The Dark Knight walked towards the edge of a cliff in the cave, the chasm so deep that the bottom was pitch black. "But I can't let anyone else pay for my mistakes."

For the briefest of moments, Dick felt his heart stop, as the mental image of Bruce leaping off the edge somehow entered his mind. The scene before him looked so close to an impending suicide attempt, he instinctively reached for his grapple before realizing he didn't have it on him. That allowed Dick to sober up and remember who he was speaking to. No matter how down Bruce got, he still had his code. He would never take a life, certainly not his own. But he still couldn't shake the nagging feeling there was something very painful clawing at Bruce's heart.

"Jim Gordon's a cop, Bruce." Dick said as he tried to reason with the man. "He knows the risks."

"How long before I let _someone else_ I care about down? Leslie...Alfred..." Batman's voice wavered as he turned to look over his shoulder. "And I _know_ I've already let _you_ down."

Dick's eyes widened slightly, his throat tightening as he fought to not let his emotions overcome him. Such a raw admission from Batman...Dick wasn't ready for it, and his resentment quickly took a back seat as the love and gratitude he felt for his mentor came roaring back to the forefront. "No, Bruce. You haven't really let me down." He said after regaining his composure. "It's just...we're two different people. You can't expect me to react to things the way you would...no more than _I_ should expect you to see things _my_ way. I _have_ been disappointed...but it's just because...part of me wants things to go back to the way things were. I don't like fighting with you."

"But that's just it. It feels like no matter what I do, things keep getting worse! I fight night after night, desperately trying to make lives better...but all I end up doing is hurting the ones I care about most." Batman looked down into the darkness of the chasm. "When all is said and done, how much good have I accomplished? I've become a cliché!" Batman clenched a fist, his voice laced with resentful venom. "More good for the _tourist trade_ than the streets!"

"This city would fall apart without you!"

"Maybe..." Batman glanced at Dick for a moment before looking back into the inky blackness. "Maybe not...when you look too long into the abyss...the abyss looks back _through_ you!" Without warning, Batman ripped off his cowl, glaring at it with such hatred that it scared Dick. "Maybe it's time for Batman to return to the night that spawned him! Before anyone else gets hurt!"

Words failed the Boy Wonder as he watched Bruce storm off. Dick ran to the edge of the cliff, watching in stunned horror as the Batman mask slowly drifted down into the abyss, until it could no longer be seen. Of all the things he'd expected to happen during this meeting, this was not it. The very idea of Bruce giving up being Batman, it felt all wrong. He couldn't process the information, leaving him in a state of shock as he desperately tried to make peace with what had just happened. But Dick just couldn't do it.

Batman had just given up, and the very idea made Dick sick to his stomach.

* * *

Stonegate Penitentiary, a large and secure prison created as part of a dream by Bruce Wayne and the man formerly known as Harvey Dent. It was meant to hold criminals considered legally sane, and would ensure that no one would escape its walls. Jimmy Peake, aka the Jazzman, never expected that he would find himself trapped there. The way he understood it, he was meant to go Gotham City Jail. That's where he landed last time when then _Lieutenant_ Gordon busted him during what would've been the biggest success of his criminal career.

But then he was met with some very bad news. Judge Maria Vargas was remanding him to custody of the state. It figured that one of Gordon's friends would find a way to ruin his plans one last time. There would be no escape for him. But at least he would have the satisfaction of knowing he got revenge and killed Gordon. He got the last laugh.

Or so he thought.

Just a few days after his arrest, he was furious to learn that Gordon had survived their encounter. The trap was so perfect! Once he'd been tipped off regarding the police raid, he planned everything down to the smallest detail. Except for one thing, apparently. He hadn't counted on Batman making an appearance that night.

Jazzman and his men had the police on the ropes. Soon they would break through their cover and Gordon would be wide open for him to put a barrage of bullets through his chest with his old style Thompson submachine gun. Then Batman showed up, and everything was thrown off. He couldn't make his escape, but he did spot Gordon laying on the ground in a pool of blood as he was being taken away. He said nothing at the time, preferring to let the horror sink in for the other officers when they noticed for themselves.

Jazzman threw his prison cup against the wall with a disgusted grunt. Critical condition wasn't good enough...Jazzman wanted Gordon _dead,_ beyond the shadow of a doubt. And he wouldn't be satisfied unless _he_ was the one to finish him off. But now there was no chance of that happening. As he got up to stare out the window of his cell, he fumed silently as there was nothing left to do but await his fate.

But fate was on his side that night.

Groans from below caught the Jazzman's attention, and he saw the guards in charge of watching his sector of the prison out cold. Mind racing, he looked around for what could've caused that to happen, then he jumped back in shock when a grappling hook suddenly shot past his face and latched onto the roof a few floors up. Moments later, a masked man appeared at his window, a very familiar masked man.

"Good evening, Mr. Peake." The man said, his voice smooth as butter. "It seems you've found yourself in a rather unfortunate situation."

"Don't gimme that." Jazzman spat as he turned away and crossed his arms. "You told me nothin' was gonna happen that night, you told me the bat would be miles away!"

"And he was." The man responded. "But you moved without urgency. You knew they were there and waited for them to take the first shot. Foolish decision. It cost you. And now Commissioner Gordon may live, and you won't have another chance until you're released from whatever sentence you receive, after your trial of course."

"It ain't goin' to trial." Jazzman snarled. "They got enough on me to play the funeral march!"

"And that, Mr. Peake, is precisely why I'm here."

Jazzman raised an eyebrow. "Whaddya mean?"

"You're going to break out tonight, Mr. Peake. I'll make sure of that. And you'll be out of Gotham City before anyone realizes you've escaped."

"Not outta Gotham!" Jazzman demanded. "Not yet!" He grabbed the bars of the cell window, glaring at the masked man with a burning passion. "First I make sure Gordon's got a one way ticket to Harp Land!"

"That would not be wise at this time." The man warned. "As soon as word gets out you've gone, there will be a manhunt out for you that I have no intention of rescuing you from. It's best if you lay low."

"Gordon busted me six years ago. Would've been the best score of my life!" Jazzman's voice contained a low growl. "I owe him, _big time!"_

The masked man said nothing for several moments, his expression never changing. Finally he spoke. "I can respect a man who sticks to the courage of his convictions. Very well. I'll help you escape, and I'll even point you in the right direction. However, there will be a price."

"Oh yeah?" Jazzman narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "And what's that?"

"It's very simple. _Make sure_ you don't fail. Kill Gordon, and then disappear."

"That won't be a problem." Jazzman smirked. "But now I gotta know...what's Gordon got on ya that you want him dead as bad as me?"

"I have no personal quarrel with Commissioner Gordon." The man replied. "Let's just say I have a vested interest in certain parties closely associated with the man. I expect his death to be the final trigger of a chain reaction that will allow all of my plans to finally succeed." The man suddenly reached through the bars and grabbed Jazzman by the lapels of his prison uniform, causing Jazzman to cry out in pain as his head smashed against the bars. "And that is why, Mr. Peake, failure is not an option. If you _don't_ kill Gordon, you won't like what happens to you after."

"Alright already! I get the picture, geez!" Jazzman pulled the man's hand off his lapels after a struggle, rubbing his aching head. "So when are ya gettin' me outta here?"

"Right now." The man slowly pulled a glinting katana out from behind his back, and with two carefully aimed slashes, the bars fell from the window with a clang. "Come, there is much to prepare for."

"We ain't goin' straight for Gordon?"

"Patience, Mr. Peake. Tomorrow night, all will be made clear."

* * *

 **A/N: Things are getting really serious now. Jazzman is out and gunning for Commissioner Gordon with help from his benefactor. Who could it...ah, y'all are smart, you know who it is lol. The better question is, what is the endgame to all this? There must be a purpose! Well there is, and you'll all get to see what happens real soon. Just hang on tight!**

 **If you liked this chapter or have something you'd like to see, make sure you leave a review and let me know! I love to hear from you guys as always. Until next time!**


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